


A fiancée for Christmas

by kellsbells



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Drunk Sex, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Memory Magic, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Tropiest of tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-02-10 16:13:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 44,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12915492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kellsbells/pseuds/kellsbells
Summary: Alex is, as always, being hounded by Eliza about Kara's life. In particular, her personal life. Alex blurts out a lie on a whim, pretending that Kara is engaged, and begs Kara to go along with the lie. Kara mentions the situation to her very platonic friend Lena Luthor, who offers to step in. Hijinks ensue. A gift for the lovely Ganewhoo.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GaneWhoo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaneWhoo/gifts).



* * *

 

“Look, Mom, I…”  


“Alexandra, I asked you to look after Kara, and not only did you let her date that boy, the one who almost got her killed, and now you’re telling me she _still_ isn’t seeing anyone? I thought you cared about your sister!”

 

“Mom, of course I care,” Alex said, near tears. “Look, I… I didn’t want to say anything, because Kara wanted to keep it a secret until we came home for Christmas? But… she is seeing someone, Mom. It’s pretty serious, actually.”

 

“Oh my. You mean like, engaged serious?” Eliza sounded delighted.

 

“Sure,” Alex said, waving an arm in the air. Why not add another lie on top of the first whopper? “She’s getting engaged, and she wanted it to be a surprise, Mom, so you have to act like you have no idea, okay?”

 

“Of course,” Eliza said, almost purring. Probably thinking about grandchildren or whatever it was that drove moms to pressure their kids to marry. The conversation ended soon after, and Alex hung up.

 

“Was that your mom, babe?” Maggie asked, stepping out of the bathroom. She was drying her hair with a towel and she looked… luminous.

 

“Yeah,” Alex said, touching the back of her neck gingerly. “I may have… lied a little…” she said.

 

“What did you tell her?” Maggie asked, pausing.

 

“I may have accidentally told her that Kara is in a relationship with someone, and that they’re getting engaged,” Alex said quickly.

 

“Oh, is that all?” Maggie asked sarcastically. “Why on earth would you do that? You know she’s still pining after the Daxamite douchemeister.”

 

“I know!” Alex said, throwing her hands up. “But Mom was giving me this lecture and asking me why Kara was single, and she was asking if I even cared about my sister, so I just… I just lied, Maggie. She always blames me for everything, you know? It’s not my fault Kara’s single! I could barely get her out of her apartment this last few months.”

 

“I know baby,” Maggie said, sympathetically. She moved to Alex’s side, pulling her close. “I guess we better find Kara a fiancé, huh?”

 

“She’s going to kill me,” Alex said, shaking her head slightly. Maggie’s smaller frame cradled hers perfectly.

 

“Yeah, probably. But at least with the heat vision it’ll be quick, right?” Maggie said, snorting indelicately down Alex’s ear.

 

“Yeah, quick. I’m sure she won’t rip me limb from limb and let me bleed to death,” Alex said, morosely.

 

In the end, it was worse than either option, in Alex’s opinion. Kara turned the pout™ on Alex, who was immediately filled with both deep shame and a desire to do _anything_ to make it better.

 

“I’m so, so sorry, Kar,” she said, cursing her past self. All Kara needed was something else to worry about, after the year she’d had. “What about James? He’s still single, right?”

 

“That would be too weird,” Kara said, shaking her head. “He’s still pretty cut up about how I ended things.”

 

“Men, seriously,” Alex said, shaking her head. “It’s like he thought he was entitled to you, or something. I mean, I like him, but… you don’t belong to him.”

 

“I just wish he’d realise that. It’s like he had this pact with Clark, that he would come to National City to help me and then I’d be ‘his’ super, you know?”

 

Alex nodded. “What about Winn?”

 

“He’s with Lyra. She’ll rip out his spine if he even suggests it.”

 

“Good point,” Alex said. “Anyone else you can think of?”

 

“Not offhand,” Kara said thoughtfully. “I could just call Eliza and tell her that you were lying to get her off your back; what do you think about that?”

 

Alex looked at her with utter terror all over her face.

 

“You wouldn’t.”

 

“Try me,” Kara said, face admirably straight.

 

“What’s this going to cost me?” Alex asked, sighing.

 

“Unlimited pizza. And potstickers,” Kara said.

 

“Of course. For like, a week, right?” Alex asked hopefully.

 

“2 years.”

 

“6 months.”

 

“1 year,” Kara countered. “Final offer, or else I dial Eliza.” She picked up her cellphone.

 

“Fine. 1 year. I’m going to have to take out a loan,” Alex moaned.

 

“Okay. I’ll find someone to fake-date,” Kara said brightly. “We’ll just have to break up after Christmas.”

 

“Mom will love that,” Alex said.

 

“It’s fine, we’ll say he cheated,” Kara said. “She’ll want to kill him.”

 

“Better choose someone you don’t really care about, just in case she decides to send him some sort of bio-weapon in the mail,” Alex suggested.

 

“Great idea,” Kara said, smiling.

 

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe J’onn would give her some sort of extra stipend to pay for Kara’s food? It was about time the DEO did something to pay Kara’s bills, given that she expended so much energy in their service.

 

She made a mental note to say exactly that when she made her argument to J’onn.

 

“I really am sorry, Kara,” she said, again.

 

“It’s fine, Alex. I know what Mom’s like. And you know I’d never tell her you lied, not really.”

 

“Yeah, you could have said that before I promised you free pizza and potstickers,” Alex grumbled.

 

Kara shot her a grin before freezing, exactly like a dog who’s just heard a dog whistle.

 

“Fire in those new apartments,” Kara said. “See you later, sis.”

 

“Bye,” Alex said, waving as Kara flew out of her apartment window. How half the neighbourhood didn’t know she was Supergirl, Alex would never know. She sighed, letting herself out and locking the door behind her. Maggie was going to laugh _so_ hard when she realised what Kara had managed to blackmail Alex into doing. At least until she realised how much it was going to cost. They might have to postpone their wedding until next year, Alex thought ruefully. She sent out a prayer to whoever was listening that J’onn would agree to pay for Kara’s food so Alex wouldn’t have to sell her apartment. And her car.

 

“Stupid Kryptonians and their stupid bottomless stomachs,” she muttered. It was going to be an expensive 12 months.

 

***

 

Kara put out the fire in the new apartment block quickly, managing to limit the damage to one floor. She saved four contractors, carrying them down in twos over her shoulder, much to the chagrin of the burly men, who it appeared would rather have burned to death than be carried like that by a girl. She just smiled and waved, ignoring their protests, and flew to CatCo to meet Lena for lunch. She changed in her usual alleyway after scanning the area for hidden cameras and people – she could never be too careful – and walked into the foyer, waving at Mick the guard and smiling at Eve, upstairs, before knocking on the open door of Lena’s office.

 

“Come in,” Lena’s voice was low and husky. Kara smiled. She loved Lena’s voice, with that accent, how it made every sentence into a song.

 

“Hey!” she said, smiling as she stepped through the door. “Are you ready for lunch?”

 

Lena smiled at her, teeth flashing.

 

“Kara, you look amazing,” she said, rounding her desk quickly and holding out her arms. Kara hugged her tightly, relishing the tight hold Lena had on her. It was nice to know that someone wanted to hold on to her as much as she wanted to hold on to them. Lena hugs were almost as good as Alex hugs, and she always smelled so nice. Kara felt like she was at home in her arms.

 

“You too,” Kara said, drawing back in appreciation of Lena’s dress, which was a silky burgundy colour and fitted tightly to her figure. “That’s a beautiful dress.”

 

“Thank you,” Lena said, girlishly. “I thought you might like it.”

 

“Why, Miss Luthor, did you wear that dress for li’l old me?” Kara asked, hand on her chest, as if scandalised.

 

“Of course not, Miss Danvers,” Lena said. “I wore it because I had a meeting with the board this morning. The fact that I knew you would appreciate it was just a bonus.” She looked at Kara with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk.

 

Kara blushed. No matter how hard she tried, Lena always managed to make her blush. She had no idea how. Lena just made her feel a little funny, sometimes. Nervous, but in a good way.

 

“So, I know we were supposed to be going to that new vegan restaurant Maggie suggested, but I don’t really feel like going out in public today, Kara. After the whole Morgan Edge thing I would just like to not be watched for a little while. Could I convince you to eat here with me, maybe if I get some of your favourite Chinese and pizza?”

 

“That depends,” Kara said, eyes narrowed. “Are we talking potstickers, here? Or just lo mein and egg rolls?”  


“The whole shebang, baby,” Lena said, grinning. “Peking duck, egg rolls, crispy fried everything, and all of your favourite sauces. We’re talking a banquet here, Danvers. Does that convince you at all?” she asked, leaning back against the desk, arms folded, eyes slightly narrowed. Ever the negotiator.  

 

“I suppose it’ll have to do,” Kara drawled, doing her best Cat Grant impression. “If that’s all you have to offer.”

 

“Oh, Miss Danvers, you have no idea what I have to offer,” Lena said, low and dangerous. She tilted her head back, looking at Kara through her eyelashes.

 

Kara blushed again, this time feeling a twisting low in her abdomen. Lena always made her feel so… weird. She couldn’t exactly place it, but she kept coming back for more.

 

“You’re too much, Lena Luthor,” Kara said, ruefully.

 

Lena grinned triumphantly.

 

“The food will be here soon,” she said, pressing the privacy button on the desk behind her to turn the office glass opaque. She went to sit next to Kara.

 

“So, tell me about your day,” she said, taking Kara’s hands in hers. “You look a little stressed, even for you.”

 

“Well, I had to put out some fires this morning with something I’ve been working on, but before that my sister dropped a bit of a bombshell on me,” Kara said. “You’ll never believe what she did.”

 

Lena looked at her attentively, but then someone knocked at the office door. Eve came in with a huge armful of bags, delicious smells emanating from all of them. On top of the bags was perched a huge pizza box.

 

“You’re the best,” Kara said, squeezing Lena’s hands. She took the food from Eve, unpacking it all quickly and starting to eat straight away. When Eve was gone, she looked up to see Lena watching her in amusement. Kara blushed again immediately.

 

“I always forget how much you can eat, and how quickly,” Lena murmured. “It’s astonishing that you have that figure when you seem to be able to eat your body weight in junk food each day.”

 

“Fast metabolism,” Kara said, after swallowing a huge mouthful of potstickers.

 

“So you’ve said,” Lena said, quietly. She filled her paper plate with her favourites, peking duck and pancakes and the crispy seaweed that Kara couldn’t stand. “So, tell me what your sister did.”

 

“Okay,” Kara said, wiping her mouth on a napkin. “So, have I ever told you how Eliza, my foster mother, is really hard on Alex?”

 

“You’ve mentioned it, yes,” Lena said carefully, taking a sip from a glass of wine that had appeared when Kara wasn’t looking.

 

“So, Eliza was giving her a lecture about how I wasn’t seeing anyone, how I’d been single since Mon… since Mike left,” Kara said, hurriedly correcting herself. She thought that a weary expression crossed Lena’s face, for a second, but then it was gone, replaced by an impassive mask. “So she was telling Alex off, saying that she obviously didn’t care about her sister if she let me end up alone when she had Maggie.”

 

“God,” Lena said. “That’s crazy. How is any of that Alex’s fault?”

 

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Kara said. “She blamed Alex when I came out…” she stopped hurriedly, realising that she’d been about to say, “when I came out as Supergirl”.

 

“Oh,” Lena said, eyebrows twitching. “I didn’t realise you were… bisexual, I guess? Since you were in a relationship with Mike?”

 

Kara froze.

 

“Um, yeah. I don’t really like to label myself,” she mumbled. “But it’s not something I ever really gave too much thought to.”

 

“So your foster mother blamed Alex when you came out? What was that all about? I mean, does she have a problem with homosexuality? I thought she was okay with Alex and Maggie?” Lena asked, puzzled.

 

“I… well. She isn’t homophobic. She just thought me telling people would put me in danger, um, of being hurt, I guess?” Kara said. “She was more than happy for Alex when she met Maggie.”

 

“Okay,” Lena said, thoughtfully. She took a bite from an egg roll, chewing as she thought. “So your foster mom thinks that Alex should be responsible for every decision that you, a fully grown human, makes? Whether that be your sexual orientation or whether you’re in a relationship.”

 

“That’s pretty much it,” Kara said.

 

“That’s... wow. I mean, she can’t really hold Alex responsible for that stuff. Those things are your choices. I don’t mean that you chose to be bisexual or however you identify, I mean the choice to come out, and the choice to be single for a while after Mon… Mike,” Lena said. “That’s insane.”

 

“I think so too, but she always gives Alex these great long lectures about how she’s responsible for me. I’ve told her over and over that I’m responsible for my own decisions, but I guess old habits die hard.”

 

“Okay. So what did Alex do?” Lena asked.

 

“She told my mom that I was in a relationship, and that I was… getting married.”

 

“Oh my god!” Lena said, one hand on her mouth. “Are you kidding me?”

 

“Nope,” Kara said, rolling her eyes.

 

“So who’s the lucky guy?” Lena asked. “Or girl, sorry. This is new information.” She flashed an apologetic smile at Kara, who shook her head.

 

“It’s not a problem, Lena. I’ve only ever dated guys, so you had no reason to think otherwise. Anyway, the lucky person is… an unnamed individual. So now I have to come up with someone who doesn’t have holiday plans, who doesn’t mind pretending to be my fiancé for a week in front of my foster mother.”

 

Kara gesticulated with a piece of shrimp.

 

“I have no idea where I’m going to find someone. Everyone I know is going home for Christmas or going on vacation, and I wouldn’t want to ask any of my friends, since most of them have had feelings for me at one time or another. But I did manage to blackmail Alex into paying for my potstickers and pizza for the next year to make up for it.”

 

“Well done,” Lena said, smiling. “You know, I haven’t got any plans for Christmas, and honestly after Thanksgiving it would be nice to spend a holiday with a few friendly faces around me. If you’re comfortable with it, I could be your fake fiancée. Since you are attracted to women and your mom knows that, it would be a realistic cover. Then we could break up in the New Year. We’ll say I cheated. It’s not like I’m ever going to run into your mom at a board meeting or a gala.”

 

Kara stared at her, mouth dropping open. A piece of potsticker fell from her lower lip, unnoticed.

 

“Kara, was that… I’m sorry. Should I not have offered? I didn’t mean to make you feel awkward, or to basically invite myself on your vacation. I’m your boss, after all, and that’s just… unprofessional of me. Sorry. Forget I said anything, please,” she said, sinking the rest of her glass of wine in one long swallow.

 

Kara unfroze, hearing the panic in Lena’s voice.

 

“No, Lena, please don’t be embarrassed. It’s a great idea, actually. I mean, we’re such good friends, I’m sure we could manage to pretend for a week. It’s such a nice offer, thank you. You’re my favourite, Lena,” Kara finished, holding both of Lena’s hands in hers.

 

“No, Kara. You’re only saying that to make me feel better,” Lena said, trying to pull her hands away. “Forget I said anything, please.”

 

Kara could tell that Lena’s walls were going up, more strongly than ever. She began to rub Lena’s knuckles with her thumb, moving in small, soothing circles.

 

“Lena,” she said quietly. “You are my best friend. I wish I’d invited you to Thanksgiving and to our Christmas holiday. I just… I figured you would spend it with someone you were closer to.”

 

“There isn’t anyone I’m closer to,” Lena said, avoiding Kara’s gaze. Kara could tell, however, that she was softening.

 

“I would love it if you’d come with me to Midvale,” Kara said. “It would be my honour to have you on my arm as my faker-than-fake fiancée, Miss Luthor, if the offer still stands.”

 

She smiled slyly, waiting until Lena’s eyes flickered up to meet hers. When Lena looked at her directly, she deployed the pout™. Lena was helpless before it, she knew.

 

“Fine,” Lena said, sighing. “I accept your kind offer, my very not-new fiancée with whom I have a completely romantic relationship.”

 

“Yes!” Kara said, standing up and leaping into the air, fist first. “We’re gonna have so much fun.”

 

Lena groaned loudly, and Kara grinned back, unrepentant.

 

“You’re going to be the death of me, Kara Danvers,” Lena said, as Kara pulled her to her feet and enveloped her in a tight hug.

 

“I hope not,” Kara murmured. “I wouldn’t like to know what my life is like without you in it.”

 

“Oh, Kara,” Lena breathed. “How does anyone ever say no to you?”

 

Kara chuckled.

 

“I’ll let you know when it happens, Miss Luthor.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena considers her decision to help Kara, someone goes down on one knee, Lena accidentally reveals that she knows Kara's secret, and our girls learn more about each other in preparation for their week in Midvale.

* * *

Lena downed two huge glasses of Scotch as soon as she and Kara parted ways that afternoon, Kara in chase of a story, and Lena in chase of anything that might quell her rising panic.

 

She had, in a fit of some sort of masochistic lunacy, offered to be a fake date for Kara Danvers. No, not a fake _date_. A fake _date_ would be okay, because they could say it was their first date and just hold hands and exchange doe-eyed looks. What she had agreed to was the world’s most ridiculous, terrible idea; the plot of a thousand terrible romcoms and only the good Lord above knew how many fanfictions. She had agreed to be Kara’s fake fiancée. Kara. _Kara!_ The woman she was deeply, madly in love with – the woman who was so completely oblivious to her flirting that she might as well be a brick wall. No-one, man or woman, had ever, ever resisted the Luthor eyebrow. No-one. It just wasn’t heard of. Lena had deployed it the first time they met and was initially encouraged, because Kara had blushed and giggled. But that was all. Just blushing and giggling. No flirtatious response, no trying to touch Lena in a casual-but-coy way. Just honest friendship. Platonic friendship. Hugs that maybe lasted a little too long, but then Lena wasn’t really a good judge of these things, given that her only hugs in the past had come from Lex, and were more like awkward tackles. Oh, and then there was all that eye contact. Kara watched Lena constantly. But still, nothing. No response to her flirtation, which meant that Kara was just her friend.

 

And then. Then she drops a bombshell about how her foster mother reacted when she came out! And Lena’s heart started thumping so loudly that she was sure Kara would be able to hear it. Kara wasn’t straight. She was into girls in at least some way, though she didn’t care to label it. And after that she said the thing about pretending to be engaged, and that’s when the part of Lena’s brain that enjoyed humiliation decided to pipe up.

 

“Fucking idiot,” she muttered, downing the last of her Scotch. That had been a really good bottle too. But desperate times, right? She called Jess, her old executive assistant and perhaps her only other friend, to ask for advice. 

 

“Yes, Miss Luthor?” Jess said as she answered her phone. Old habits died hard, it seemed.

 

“Jess, could you please call me Lena?” Her voice sounded whiny to her own ears. “I need some advice, please.”

 

“Okay,” Jess said.

 

“Okay,” Lena repeated. “If someone you… liked, asked you to be their fake… fiancée, what would you think that said about your relationship with that person?”

 

“Oh, Lena. You didn’t?”

 

Lena was puzzled.

 

“Didn’t what?”

 

“Did Miss Danvers ask you to do this?”

 

“Yes. How did you know?” Lena asked, brows crinkling in surprise.

 

“There’s no-one else you would do something like that for,” Jess observed. “And what it says about your relationship – honestly, Lena, I’m surprised Kara’s sister hasn’t knocked your two heads together. I’m fairly certain she’s as ridiculously in love with you as you are with her, Miss Luthor. I’m just not sure she realises it yet.”

 

Lena was dumbfounded. Jess thought that Kara was in love with her? How did she come to that conclusion?

 

“Jess, why would you think that?” she asked, mouth hanging open. She realised that she looked idiotic, and closed her mouth. She had perhaps had a tad too much Scotch.

 

“Because I have eyes, Lena,” Jess said. The accompanying eyeroll was practically audible through the phone line.

 

“You really think that? And Alex does, too?”

 

“Yes, Alex does too. There’s a pool running at that super-secret organisation of hers as to who kisses who first. I’ve got $200 on you, Miss Luthor. Don’t let me down!”

 

Lena shook her head, stunned.

 

“Sure, Jess,” she said, absently. “Thanks. You have a good day.”

 

Jess said something polite before hanging up, and Lena stood there for a small age, staring at the wall. People thought Kara liked her. In fact, they thought so enough to wager their hard-earned money on it. But how could it possibly be true? Lena was a Luthor, the sister of the man who killed Kara’s cousin (temporarily) and had a very public vendetta against aliens, especially Kryptonians. Because of course she knew who Kara really was under all the cardigans. In the end, all it had taken for Lena to realise that Kara was Supergirl was one look – the same fond look that Kara shot at her at least ten times a day. Supergirl was congratulating her for yet another save of the alien population and Lena had shrugged it off. Supergirl shook her head, smiling fondly, and that’s when Lena knew. If anything, it made her mega-crush on Kara about a hundred times worse, because who wasn’t attracted to Supergirl?

 

She sighed, going back to her desk – the desk that had once been James Olsen’s, until he pissed her off so much that she sent him back to the Art department. The asshole actually thought he could bad-mouth her behind her back and be nice to her face and get away with it. That didn’t work with Lena – she’d seen it far too many times to be fooled by a pretty but insincere smile.

 

She sat down carefully, opening her computer, and found a series of emails from Kara, increasingly panicked in tone, detailing all the things they were going to have to discuss before they went to Midvale in two weeks for the holidays. First on the list was engagement rings, of course, but Kara wanted to buy some cheap costume jewellery. Lena very much objected to that idea; firstly, because her skin reacted badly to most metals, and secondly, because if she was only ever going to be fake engaged to Kara, she was going to do it right.

 

“Miss Tessmacher!” she shouted, overly excited. She blinked when Eve was there in seconds, visibly shaking.

 

“Yes, Miss Luthor?” she asked, clutching her tablet like a lifeline.

 

“Eve. What’s wrong?” Lena asked.

 

“You shouted for me, and for a moment I thought I was back with Miss Grant, and now I’m afraid I’ve done something to upset you,” Eve said, biting her lip and staring at her shoes.

 

“I’m sorry, Eve,” Lena said. “I was just a little… overexcited. You have been doing a wonderful job. And I’m sure Miss Grant thought so too.”

 

“Hmm,” Eve said, with a quivering smile. “What can I help you with, Miss Luthor?”

 

Lena smiled, gesturing for Eve to come and join her to browse the ring catalogue at Tiffany’s. This was going to be fun.

 

***

 

Kara gaped as Lena went down on one knee in front of her. There was an honest-to-Rao wedding ring, in a box, in her hand. This was not what she expected when she found Lena on her doorstep when she arrived home from work.

 

“Lena?” she asked, frowning. “I don’t understand? I was going to buy some cheap rings this weekend.”

 

“Well, that’s fine, Kara, but I had these lying around,” Lena said. “So I thought I might as well use them. So, will you be my fake fiancée and fake future wife, Kara Danvers?”

 

Kara stared at her. Lena’s face was doing that thing that made her stomach flutter, and she couldn’t remember a time when she’d been more nervous than she was right at that moment.

 

“Um… of course!” Kara said, trying for enthusiasm. Her voice came out as a squeak.

 

Lena smiled at her, pulling Kara a little closer, and then she slipped the ring onto Kara’s third finger. It was a beautiful, blue-tinged grey diamond surrounded by tiny clear diamonds on a band of what must have been platinum of the highest purity. Kara’s micro-vision couldn’t detect any flaws in the band or in the stones.

 

“Lena, are you sure this ring isn’t expensive? Because it certainly looks expensive,” Kara said, holding her left hand out to admire the ring.

 

“Pfft. It’s nothing, Kara. Just something I had lying around the house. I thought I would wear this one,” she said, pulling another ring box from her bag. Inside was a stone that looked almost like a diamond but was tinged with a crystalline green. It looked very much like the shade of Lena’s eyes early in the morning.

 

“Rao, Lena. That’s beautiful,” Kara exclaimed, staring at the beautiful piece. It was a match to hers in style; only the colour of the stone was different. “What kind of stone is that?”

 

“It’s a new kind of diamond,” Lena said. “I invented it, I suppose. I mixed diamond with a touch of emerald and then fused the stones together. It’s what I did with yours, too. Only with sapphire. It reminded me of your eyes.” (All of this was quite true; she’d been up half the night perfecting the diamonds and arranging to have them set as the centre stones of the rings she’d chosen from Tiffany’s.)

 

“Are you sure you didn’t spend anything on this, Lee?” Kara asked, suspicious.

 

“Of course not,” Lena said, dismissively. “I just added the stones. I’d been experimenting with them for communications. These are just cheap off-cuts.”

 

What Kara didn’t know was that Lena hadn’t technically paid for the rings because she’d had Eve do it for her with Lena’s private credit card. And the stones _were_ an experiment, but each of the off-cuts of the incredibly pure diamonds were worth hundreds of thousands each. But technically, in comparison to the overall cost of the diamonds, the off-cuts _were_ cheap.

 

“Well then,” Kara said, grinning. She took the other ring from the box and got down on one knee, holding it up to Lena with a look of adoration on her face. “Lena Luthor, would you do me the honour of getting fake engaged to me, with a view to deceiving my foster mother until we pretend break up?”

 

“Oh Kara,” Lena said, smiling. “You say the sweetest things.”

 

Kara slid the ring onto Lena’s finger, kissing the knuckles of her delicate hand one at a time. Because friends did that, when their friends did them a huge favour. Right? Lena took in a tiny, gasping breath, and Kara looked up at her in concern. “Hey, are you okay with this? Because I don’t want to make you uncomfortable…”

 

Suddenly, there was a finger pressed to her lips.

 

“It’s fine, Kara. I want to do this. I agreed because I want to help. And because I want to see the anguish on Alex’s face as you completely impoverish her with your pizza and potstickers habit.”

 

Kara chuckled.

 

“And that’s why you’re my favourite, Lena Luthor,” Kara said, before pulling Lena to the couch and wrapping them both in a soft blanket. They settled down to watch the Good Place, and Kara sighed as she wrapped her arms around Lena, settling her head on her friend’s shoulder. This fake-engagement thing was going to be a cinch, she could feel it.

 

***

 

“What’s my favourite colour?” Kara asked, narrowing her eyes at Lena.

 

“Er… it used to be blue but now it’s green?” she asked.

 

“Yes!” Kara said, punching the air in celebration. “That’s 20 out of 20. We are so winning at this game.”

 

“Indeed we are, darling,” Lena said, smiling fondly. Kara had been in such a state since the Daxamite Prince had left the planet that Lena had feared she’d never come out of it. It appeared, however, that all she needed was a little subterfuge and free food to bring her out of her funk.

 

“You’re the best, Lee,” Kara said, shoving a huge mouthful of pad Thai into her gaping maw. Lena watched, fascinated and disgusted as always.

 

“I know,” she said, shrugging delicately.

 

“And so modest, too,” Kara said, dryly.

 

Lena laughed.

 

“You have to be nice to me, Kara Danvers, otherwise I might have to withdraw my offer of marriage,” Lena said.

 

“Why, Miss Luthor, you wouldn’t, would you?” Kara asked, batting her eyelashes, her hand on her chest. The stone from her engagement ring glinted in the artificial light of the office.

 

“I suppose not, Kara,” she said, sighing. “But I will definitely need an equally huge favour at some point. What do you really hate?” she asked.

 

“Um, Kale? And artichokes? And those other green things?”

 

“In that case, if you’re not nicer to me, I’m going to put you on a vegan diet with broccoli smoothies for breakfast.”

 

“You wouldn’t…” Kara’s gasp this time was real. Lena cackled.

 

“I knew you’d show your true Luthor colours one day,” Kara said, shaking her head. “And to think I defended you!”  


Lena snorted in amusement.

 

“Too late for you, Supergirl,” she declared, in a passable villain voice. “You will eat kale, or you will die! Muah ha ha!”

 

She stopped laughing when she realised that Kara had frozen, food halfway to her mouth.

 

“What’s wrong?” Lena asked, frowning.

 

“You just… you just called me Supergirl,” Kara said, shaking.

 

“Oh,” Lena said, mouth open. “Oh. I’m sorry. Can we just forget that I…”  


“No, we can’t,” Kara said, cutting her off. “Are you telling me you know?”

 

“Yes?” Lena said, swallowing. “I… I figured you’d tell me if and when you felt it was appropriate. I’m sorry, it just slipped out, with the evil Luthor joke. You know, context and all.”

 

Kara looked at her expressionlessly.

 

“And, on a scale of one to Lex Luthor, how do you feel about it?” she asked.

 

Lena almost laughed, but managed to hold it in.

 

“I’m more on the Lillian Luthor end of the scale. You know, bide my time, kidnap you and experiment on you later,” she drawled.

 

Kara glared.

 

“That’s not funny, Lena,” she said, face expressionless.

 

Lena blanched. “I’m so…”

 

“You’re way too short to be Lillian. Do you have a shorter sibling, or a cousin maybe, that we could compare you to?”

 

Lena paused, dumbfounded, before throwing a piece of deep-fried chicken at Kara.

 

“I thought you were being serious, you asshole! Now I’m really going to have to launch a vendetta against you, Supergirl! Where’s my kryptonite murder-ray?!”

 

Kara giggled helplessly, almost falling off her chair, and Lena rolled her eyes. The woman was impossibly cute. How anyone met Kara without immediately falling in love was quite beyond Lena.

 

“So,” Kara said, when she’d recovered. “You know I’m Supergirl. How long?” she asked, picking up a huge chunk of chicken between her chopsticks and manoeuvring it gracefully to her mouth.

 

“I suspected when you said you flew to my office on a bus. Honestly, I had suspicions when I saw you with Clark Kent, because I had always suspected he was Superman. Too many strange coincidences. But then you told me the flying on a bus thing, and you said words like ‘golly’ and I just figured you had to be an alien. Because no-one is that… unique,” Lena finished. She had been about to say that no-one was that cute, but managed to hold it back.

 

“Oh,” Kara said, adjusting her glasses. “I didn’t realise. I thought it was a good disguise.”

 

“It is,” Lena said. “I don’t think I would have noticed without those two huge clues, but then I started noticing the small things – you disappearing and Supergirl appearing around the same time, the way Supergirl looks at me, the way she believes in me? I couldn’t mistake her for anyone but you.”

 

“Oh,” Kara said. “So you do think it’s a good disguise?”

 

“My brother is a literal genius, Kara, and he never realised who Clark was. His best friend, right under his nose. It’s not about what you wear or how you look, it’s about how you act. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you and Supergirl were totally different people. If you went into acting – either you or Clark – you’d be amazing.”

 

“It’s not really an act,” Kara said, quietly. “I mean, not for me, anyway. I’m not naturally as clumsy as I pretend to be, but Kara Danvers is me. And Supergirl is, too, but she’s more about what I can do, who I can be to people. They’re both sides of me.”

 

Lena smiled gently.

 

“I’m honoured to know both sides,” she said, simply. She was taken aback when Kara put down her food and rushed round the desk to hug her.

 

“I love you, Lena Luthor,” Kara said, squeezing Lena tightly.

 

“I love you too, Kara,” Lena replied, telling nothing but the entire truth.

 

***

 

They continued to test each other and, in doing so, they learned more about each other than they ever had before. For instance, Kara now knew that Lena had a stuffed tiger called Hugo who she took with her on business trips because she couldn’t sleep without him.

 

“He’s the only thing I have left of my birth mother,” Lena explained, and Kara had hugged her for at least five minutes after that conversation. The idea of Lena falling asleep with a tiny stuffed tiger next to her was just such a cute and beautiful picture that Kara just didn’t want to let her go.

 

And Lena knew that Kara’s favourite fruit was a purple and orange delicacy that was imported to Krypton from Starhaven. Kara had never learned the real name of the fruit, calling it only ‘Spikefruit’ because the outside was spiky. Not terribly original, but she was a child.

 

Kara knew that Lena’s favourite song was “Daydream Believer,” because her birth mother used to sing it to her when she couldn’t sleep.

 

Lena knew that Kara’s favourite song was ‘Everytime,’ by Britney Spears because it reminded her of when Britney and JT broke up. “I listened to it on repeat for a month,” Kara said, “and Alex threatened to send me back to Krypton if I ever played it again. I think she was serious.”

 

They didn’t notice, but they had spent almost every night together since their fake engagement had taken place. Lena was growing used to waking up with Kara wrapped around her like a baby sloth, and had even managed to sleep without Hugo for the first time since she’d been with Jack. She couldn’t very well explain to him that she couldn’t sleep without a stuffed animal, and so she’d soldiered through. It took eight months before she was able to sleep a whole night without Hugo. But with Kara next to her, she slept like a baby each and every night. The scent of Kara surrounding her was what did it, she suspected. Something about her was incredibly soothing to Lena, and she’d never be used to how easily her anxieties and irritations faded away when Kara smiled at her or hugged her.

 

There were only two more days left, and then they were driving to Midvale. Lena had insisted that they at least take one of her many cars, rather than the dented mini-van that Kara drove sometimes, and Kara had agreed. So Lena had instructed one of her drivers, Terry, to take out the Porsche Cayenne from her car collection and have it checked over and filled up. She knew it was hopelessly pretentious to have a collection of cars, but she was a billionaire and she did enjoy driving. It was one of the few times when she couldn’t work, because she had something immediate to keep her attention, and sometimes it felt like a meditation, concentrating on the road ahead, the other cars, keeping the car at the optimum speed and in the right gear. She loved it, and was very much looking forward to that part of their trip, at least.

 

“So, are you still okay to come out tonight?” Kara asked, as they ate breakfast together at the table in her apartment.

 

“Out?” Lena asked. She was half-asleep and wool-gathering.

 

“To celebrate Maggie’s positive pregnancy test?” Kara asked.

 

“Oh, yes,” Lena said. “Sorry. I’m still half asleep. I sent them a gift already, I hope they got it,” Lena said. She’d sent them an unlimited gift card for a store in National City that sold every possible baby product in the known universe.

 

“They did,” Kara said. “They plan to make you take it back when they see you, because it’s too much.”

 

“Well, I hope they’re willing to wait a long time,” Lena said. “I can be very patient. Their kid might be in college by the time I agree to take back that gift.”

 

“I did tell them that,” Kara said, grinning.

 

“Anyway, I’m going to be the kid’s aunt,” Lena said lightly. “They better get used to getting gifts from me.”

 

Kara stared at her, mouth open and eyes filled with something that Lena couldn’t easily name. Was it… hope?

 

“Are you okay, Kara?” she asked, concerned.

 

“I… you’re going to be the kid’s aunt?” Kara squeaked out.

 

“Well, I’m already Ruby’s aunt, right? You’re the nerd aunt, and Maggie and Alex are the sage lesbian aunts. So surely I get to be the Sanvers baby’s aunt, too?” Lena asked, smiling.

 

“Oh yeah, that. Of course,” Kara said, giggling nervously.

 

“What did you think I meant?” Lena asked quietly. She could have sworn that Kara looked at her engagement ring sadly before answering.

 

“Nothing! That’s totally what I thought you meant,” Kara said, laughing in that nervous way she did when she was lying. Usually about Supergirl, but they were supposed to be past that, now.

 

“Sure, Kara,” Lena said, with a half-smile. “So, where’s the celebration at tonight?”

 

“The alien bar?” Kara said. “You don’t mind going, do you? I’ll be right by your side, the whole time. I promise.”

 

“It’s no problem,” Lena said. “I’ve been there before, without incident. If anything asks, I’ll tell them my friend Supergirl will kick their asses.”

 

Kara grinned, a genuine grin this time, and stuffed a too-large forkful of pancakes into her mouth. “You’re the best, Lee. We’re gonna have the best time.”

 

Lena sighed quietly to herself once Kara was in the shower. A good time? She was madly in love with Kara, and every minute spent with her was only making it deeper. What the hell was she supposed to do with that? And if Kara got drunk and handsy, Lena didn’t know what she’d do. The last time she’d been drinking at the alien bar, Kara hadn’t let go of Lena the whole night, kissing her on the cheek repeatedly and declaring her love over and over. It was torture.

 

Lena decided she’d have to stay sober, so as to avoid any awkwardness the following morning. And she would definitely, definitely be spending the night in bed with Hugo and not Kara. It was a Very Bad Idea, she told herself, emphasising the capital letters. Very Bad.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alien alcohol, some dancing, and something unexpected happens. Someone remembers, and someone else doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are a little less fluffy this chapter, and a bit more NSFW. Thanks for all your amazing comments, and I'm sorry I can't reply, but my computer hates me and I am hopelessly inept at technology.

* * *

 

Kara was drunk. Giggly, silly, word-slurringly drunk. Lena was the best, as usual, because she was holding Kara up as she swayed to the music, singing along. Her sister was gonna have a baby, and all was right with the world.

 

Lena was holding her up, but Lena’s heart was thumping, and Kara didn’t know what was wrong. So she pulled Lena into a dark corner and into a booth.

 

“What’s wrong with you, Lee?” she slurred, trying to decide which one of the Lenas was real. “Your heart’s beating really fast.”

 

“I’m just a little stressed,” one of the Lenas said, her heart speeding up a little more. “About work. Nothing to worry about.”

 

As she said the last sentence, her heart rate ticked up just a little.

 

“You’re lying to me,” Kara said, confused. “Why are you lying to me?”

 

Just then, Maggie and Alex came over, dragging them both from the booth.

 

“Listen up, lovebirds. If I can’t drink, somebody’s gotta do it for me,” Maggie said, pulling them back to their table, where a line of shots awaited them. Lena groaned, and Kara chuckled.

 

It was a little later when Kara found herself waltzing with Lena around the room, there being no real dance floor in the bar. The song that was playing wasn’t a waltz, but she didn’t mind. She was dancing, and Lena was in her arms, and that meant everything was good, right? Maybe her feet weren’t _exactly_ on the ground, but no-one would notice. She was stealthy, like a sneaky ninja.

 

“Why do you have to smell so good?” Lena muttered, slurring her words now, too, after Maggie more or less forced her to drink numerous shots. “It’s not fair. How am I supposed to not love you when I can smell you on my clothes, and you smell like sunshine, Kara! How does a person smell like sunshine?”

 

“Your face is sunshine,” Kara muttered, under her breath.

 

Lena looked up at her, startled.

 

“Your face is sunshine too,” she said, before kissing Kara with great enthusiasm and a lot of saliva. It was decidedly _not_ a friend kiss.

 

Kara’s brain froze, and then kicked-started itself back to life, and she found herself kissing Lena back with equal enthusiasm. Luckily they were almost in the back corner again, and no-one had spotted them, so she pulled Lena into the booth and onto her lap, continuing to kiss her deeply and desperately. Lena was whimpering against her mouth, and Kara could feel that she was getting hot in places that she didn’t usually feel hot in. Even with Mon-El.

 

“Take me home, Kara,” Lena husked, biting Kara’s earlobe and then licking it. Kara shuddered.

 

“Yes, Ma’am.”

 

They bid a hasty goodbye to the rest of their party and as soon as they stepped outside Kara lifted Lena into her arms and shot off into the air. She overshot her apartment building by a couple of miles, and had to sheepishly fly back, but by then Lena’s mouth was sucking on her neck and Kara was far beyond caring about her sense of direction.

 

They didn’t make it to the bed the first time, moving together desperately on the couch, drunkenly pulling at each other’s clothes and grabbing each other’s hair. The second time they did manage to make it to the bed, but the third time they ended up on the bedroom floor after a misjudgement of distance on Lena’s part. Nonetheless, they were both sweaty and sated when they finished, wrapped up naked together. The last words Lena said before Kara fell asleep were almost inaudible.

 

“I love you, Kara.”

 

***

 

Lena had a headache, and there was light – far, far too much light – in her eyes. She grumbled under her breath, reaching around for something to pull over her eyes. She found a warm body next to her, an arm slung over her waist, and the sheet caught somewhere around her thighs. Where the hell was she? It smelled… familiar, somehow.

 

She opened one eye, groaning quietly so as to not wake her bedmate. She had no idea who she was in bed with, not until she turned her head and saw Kara’s face, inches from her own. She was still wearing her glasses, somehow, but nothing else. Lena blushed, averting her eyes. She checked her own body over carefully – what she could see of it, at least – and noticed numerous bite marks and love bites. They had really… with each other, and now their friendship was going to be over, and Lena was going to be alone, again.

 

She started to hyperventilate, and had to concentrate, hard, on counting her fingers over and over again, then counting the things she could see from her position, trapped under Kara’s arm in the bed. There were two books on the nightstand, one trashy romance novel and one book on quantum mechanics. A glass, half filled with water. Several hair ties. A phone. Another phone. Hers and Kara’s, she guessed, her breathing slowing.

 

When she was calm enough, she started to slip out from under Kara’s arm. Kara grunted in annoyance, but turned over, snoring loudly. On any other day Lena would have laughed. But not this day. She stood, grabbing her phone, and followed the trail of discarded clothing, dressing as she went. Her underwear was ripped, and despite her panic she felt a clench low in her abdomen at the sight. Kara had ripped those, right off her. She put them in her pocket, checking around to see if she’d left anything else, and then she fled Kara’s apartment as if the entire army of Hell was on her heels.

 

She got home and took a scalding hot shower, not because she was ashamed, but because she didn’t _want_ to remember. She could smell Kara on her skin, and she couldn’t bear to remember that, because it was never going to happen again. She scrubbed her skin frantically, washing her hair three times until all she could smell was her own shampoo and conditioner. She styled her hair carefully, straightening the loose waves into obediently straight locks. She dressed to kill, donning her CEO armour, and headed to LCorp.

 

Kara texted her three times that day, asking if she had any idea what had happened the night before, then asking her if she had time for lunch, and then asking if she was okay, because she didn’t reply to the first two.

 

She sighed, signing the document she’d been perusing, and picked up her phone.

 

_Sorry, Kara. Hectic day. Can we take a raincheck on lunch? As for last night, I made sure you got home and I headed back to my apartment. I have a splitting headache but otherwise I’m fine. I hope your sister and Maggie had an enjoyable night._

There. That would head off any more questions. If Kara really didn’t know what had happened the night before, then this could stay as Lena’s dirty little secret. No-one else knew, and that’s the way it would stay. Now, she just needed to teach herself not to remember how Kara’s skin tasted, how her muscles trembled when Lena… nope. She was big fat _not_ thinking about that; not now, not ever. Kara was her friend, and now they had to pretend to be fake-engaged for a week.

 

“Fuck,” she said, head in her hands. She had forgotten the whole fake-engagement thing because of the whole drunk sleeping together thing. Understandable, she felt. One major emotional crisis at a time. She stood abruptly, grabbing the nearest bottle of alcohol and pouring a healthy measure into a glass. She swallowed it in one mouthful, wincing at the taste. Cognac. Never her favourite drink, but sometimes necessary. Like when you frantically needed to stop hearing the noises your best friend made when you moved your tongue a certain way…

 

“Fuck,” she said, again. It was going to be a long week.

 

***

 

Kara woke up alone and puzzled. She had a headache, which she cured in a few seconds by standing up and letting the sun’s rays sink into her skin. She was probably giving the neighbours across the way a show, but she was too confused and dazed to worry about it too much.

 

Her room smelled different. She was used to the mingling of her own scent with Lena’s – Lena stayed over often enough for it to be engrained in Kara’s bedding. But this was different, like…

 

She blushed, recognising the distinctive scent. Rao, what the hell had she done the night before? And how come Lena wasn’t here? They’d spent the last… golly, almost a month staying at each other’s places. Why was Lena absent now? Had Kara done something? She could vaguely remember them dancing like idiots, but after that her memory was a complete blank. She found her phone on the nightstand, firing off a quick text to Lena to find out what the hell had happened the night before. Then she went to the bathroom to shower, blushing when she found a trail of her clothes leading from the couch to the bedroom. Had she just been so drunk that she stripped off her clothes? Rao, what if Lena had been there?

 

She took her time in the shower, because it was early and because she still felt groggy and confused. She prayed fervently that whatever she’d done, Lena would forgive her. She hoped that she hadn’t done anything stupid. Why on earth would she have discarded her clothes like that? It didn’t make sense. And the scent in her bedroom was…

 

She decided to stop thinking about it. Having super senses as well as strength and flight was sometimes more of a hindrance than a help. When she got out of the shower, there was no response from Lena. She sent a second message, asking if they could meet for lunch. Still, no response. She went to work with a heavy weight in her stomach, pulling at her insides. What in Rao’s name had happened the night before?

 

She sent a message to Alex, who replied saying that as far as she knew, Kara and Lena had drunkenly danced together, disappeared into a corner for a few minutes, and then ran out of the bar, both extremely drunk. After that, she had no idea. Unfortunately, neither did Kara. She set to work, copy-editing what felt like several hundred articles before checking her phone again. Still, no reply. She sent a quick message off, asking Lena if she’d done something to upset her. A while later, she got a reply. Lena was busy, and she couldn’t do lunch. Okay, that was fine. Kara had to cancel sometimes, too. But then Lena said she dropped Kara at her apartment and left. Which, okay, some people would do. But Lena Luthor, leave her very drunk best friend to look after herself? Never.

 

Kara frowned at her phone. Lena had reverted to being formal at the end of the message, too. That was never a good sign. What in Rao’s name had happened?

 

Kara sent back a neutral reply, wishing Lena a good day and thanking her for seeing that Kara got home safe. Then she put her phone away, got back to work finishing her edits, and tried desperately not to worry about what had happened the night before. She had an idea that Lena wasn’t happy, but she couldn’t be sure without speaking to her. And judging from her friend’s responses, she wasn’t going to see her until tomorrow – that was, if Lena even still wanted to go to Midvale.

 

***

 

Lena groaned the following morning when her alarm went off. She had ended up drinking a lot the night before and while she had needed it in order to forget the thing that she absolutely was _not_ thinking about, she was regretting the necessity. She felt like she’d gone three rounds with Supergirl. She laughed mirthlessly when she realised that was _exactly_ the problem.

 

She made herself a pot of coffee, drinking half of it while reading the news on her tablet. Kara had saved eight people the night before when a bus went off a bridge. Somehow she’d been there just at the right time. Lena wondered how Kara managed to make it in time to these incidents. Sure, she had super-speed, but she only heard about incidents from the DEO or the television. Unless she listened to everything all the time, which must be… overwhelming. If that was what she did, it was no wonder she was always a little ditzy.

 

Lena showered with the temperature as high as she could bear it, letting the water scald her skin. She had to spend a week with Kara and her family. How on Earth was she going to pull that off? She could still feel Kara’s lips on her skin, and she had no idea at all how Kara had forgotten what they did. It must have been the sheer volume of alien alcohol she’d imbibed, Lena reasoned, because even if she’d been blind drunk, she didn’t think she could forget how Kara felt when she…

 

She sighed loudly, ignoring the strong signals her body was giving her about going to find Kara to do it all that all over again until neither of them could walk. Sure, she wanted that, but Kara had never given any indication that she did. Other than sleeping with her, of course, but she was so very drunk that Lena was almost ashamed that she hadn’t stopped the whole thing. Of course, Lena had been drunk too, but clearly Kara had been more so, since she still hadn’t remembered a thing about their night together.

 

Lena shook her head, trying to clear it. She’d been over all of this, over and over in her mind, since she got home the morning before. She couldn’t do anything to change her actions, so she had to just move forward, now. Be the pretend fiancée, make nice with the fake in-laws, and get through the week. Right? She could do that, she told herself.

 

Yeah, right.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to Midvale begins

* * *

 

“So, babe,” Maggie said, turning to look at her abdomen in the bathroom mirror. “Do you think Kara knows that those shots she drank last night were of a drink called the memory thief? Because, according to M’gann, the next time she drinks alien alcohol, she’s going to remember everything that happened when she was drunk the last time. Something to do with state-dependant learning, she said. Personally, I think she’s been taking too many online courses. And I was too tired when she told me about it to really understand.”

 

“I’m sure it’ll be fun to watch,” Alex said, with a grin. For once, she was looking forward to the Christmas holidays. This year, the heat would be on Kara and her new ‘fiancée’, and Alex should be able to relax and surf, and maybe catch up with some of her old school friends. She hadn’t bothered staying in touch, before, because she’d been such a wreck. But since meeting Maggie her life had suddenly started making sense, and she was happy and confident, now. She could meet up with Vicki Donahue (Daniels, now) and congratulate her on her kids, and she could stand up in front of the homecoming king and queen, now Midvale’s foremost car salesman and Mary Kay vendor respectively, and nod without feeling embarrassed or less, because she _wasn’t_ less. She wasn’t broken, she was just not the same as they were. She was gay, and the truth of it had hit her like that Hoshin frigate had hit Kara.

 

“Do you think they… you know?” Maggie asked, catching Alex’s eye in the mirror.

 

“Do I think they what?” Alex asked, puzzled. She applied eyeliner carefully, trying not to poke her own eyeball with the little pencil.

 

“Do you think Little Danvers and Luthor did the nasty?” Maggie asked.

 

Alex considered for a moment.

 

“It’s possible,” she said. “I’m not sure I really believe either of them are ever going to realise how they feel about each other. They’re almost as oblivious as I was.”

 

“I don’t think Lena is oblivious,” Maggie said, shaking her head. She turned to the side again, rubbing her lower abdomen. “Kara has no idea, but my god, the heart-eyes!”

 

“I know! Every time they do that staring thing, I get this urge to play spin the bottle or seven minutes in heaven, you know? Like, wake up and smell the gay!” Alex said, snickering.

 

“I’m proud of you, Danvers,” Maggie said. “You’ve graduated from Lesbian Academy with top points in gaydar and detection of unresolved sexual tension.”

 

“Thanks babe,” Alex said. “I have you to thank for it.”

 

“Yeah,” Maggie said.

 

Alex stepped up behind her, putting her arms around Maggie’s abdomen.

 

“You know it’s going to be a while before you show,” she murmured, kissing Maggie’s shoulder. “Not that I mind looking at you half-naked in front of a mirror.”

 

Maggie twisted in her arms, kissing her, and Alex hummed happily.

 

“I can’t wait to marry you, Mrs Alex,” she said.

 

“And I can’t wait to marry you, Mrs Maggie,” Maggie said, shaking her head at Alex’s craziness.

 

***

 

Lena was uncharacteristically nervous as she pulled up in front of Kara’s apartment early the next morning. Kara had texted her the night before to check she was still okay to come to Midvale, and she was cursing herself for not taking that out when she could have. She should have pretended to be sick, pretended she had a big crisis at work. Hell, she should have faked her own death. But now… now there was no going back.

 

Kara knocked on the car window, beaming, and Lena smiled back automatically, something in her chest blooming with warmth. She unlocked the car, and opened the trunk.

 

Kara disappeared, lifting her bags and then Alex and Maggie’s, when they appeared behind her, into the trunk.

 

She jumped into the front seat next to Lena and flung herself into Lena’s arms. She hugged her tightly, and Lena swallowed.

 

“I missed you yesterday,” Kara murmured, into her ear. Lena shivered. Kara had whispered in her ear that night, filthy, sexy, hot words that made Lena breathless.

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Kara asked, looking at Lena intently. Lena looked away, apparently fascinated by the sidewalk outside.

 

“I’m fine, Kara,” she said, turning back and smiling. She knew it wasn’t a genuine smile, but it was the best she could do. Kara looked at her, puzzled and upset, and Lena’s heart twisted. Thankfully, at that moment, Maggie and Alex climbed in, ribbing Lena good-naturedly about the expensive car and asking her where her driver was.

 

“For your information, ladies, I enjoy driving, and I do it a lot when I need to think. And my driver has the week off, just like the rest of my employees, okay?” She caught Maggie’s eye in the rear-view mirror and stuck her tongue out in a ridiculously childish expression. That started off an argument about who was the better driver, and both Alex and Maggie insisted that they were trained in tactical driving skills, including offensive and defensive driving and that meant that they were the safest drivers (as well as the best).

 

Lena shot them both a filthy look.

 

“It’s my car. You want to drive a Porsche, buy your own.”

 

“Harsh, Luthor,” Alex said, laughing.

 

Lena smiled, pulling out into traffic and heading towards the outward edge of town. Soon enough they were heading down the highway towards the coast, and onwards to Midvale. Kara had chosen a cheesy playlist from the 00’s and was energetically singing along with Britney and JT and the Backstreet Boys. She was, however, casting concerned looks at Lena, and Lena was doing her level best to ignore them. As she drove, she occasionally twisted the fake engagement ring on her left hand, telling herself that there was no point in wishing it was real. She would never be that girl, the one who got the girl next door. At best, she would be the one who had a succession of one-night stands and died alone. She knew it would probably sound morose to others, but she was the youngest child of the Luthors, the worst family of anti-alien terrorists in recent history. She was living on borrowed time, she knew that. She might as well not leave anyone behind to mourn her. Kara deserved a long, happy life without the burden of caring for someone like Lena.

 

She kept telling herself that as Kara, literal ray of sunshine, continued to sing. They stopped twice on the way, both times at old-fashioned mom and pop diners in the middle of nowhere, where Kara commenced to order and eat half of the menu, much to the astonishment of the owners.

 

“At least I’m not paying for this,” Alex muttered. “Thank god they don’t serve pizza.”

 

Lena snickered. Alex glared. Kara beamed at them beatifically, mouth full.

 

When they pulled up outside Eliza Danvers’ house, Lena’s palms were sweating. Sure, this was all fake, but she was still a Luthor, and Kara was still Supergirl. No-one would blame Kara’s mother for hating her and everything she stood for.

 

“It’s gonna be fine, she’ll love you,” Kara said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. Lena turned to look at her, squeezing back.

 

“Thank you,” she managed, her smile dropping after a moment. It would be fine. It was for Kara’s sake, so it had to be okay.

 

She straightened up as she got out of the car, pulling self-consciously at her jeans and sweater. She wasn’t used to wearing comfortable clothing, at least not unless she was at Kara’s apartment, and she didn’t know how to act while wearing stuff that didn’t hold her upright the way her tight pencil skirts and suits did.

 

“You look great, Lena,” Alex said, soothingly, running a hand up and down her arm briskly. “She’s going to love you.”

 

Lena turned a grateful smile on Alex, and then Kara took her hand. Lena started, turning to look at Kara.

 

“Are you coming, fiancée?” Kara asked, teasingly.

 

Lena just smiled, swallowing. “Of course, darling,” she said, squeezing Kara’s hand in hers.

 

Eliza pulled the door open just as they stepped onto the doorstep.

 

“Girls,” she said, warmly, stepping out and spreading her arms. Kara pulled Lena forward, and suddenly she was in a five-way hug with the Danvers women and Maggie.

 

“Merry Christmas, girls,” Eliza said, her voice warm and sweet. For some reason, it made Lena want to cry. She stifled the urge, taking a deep breath, and then Kara was pulling her back, smiling from her to Eliza and then back again.

 

“You must be Lena,” Eliza said, smiling warmly. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

 

“Really?” Lena asked, smiling broadly. “All good I hope. Apart from the whole world-domination seeking, anti-alien family part, anyway.”

 

Eliza smiled in amusement.

 

“In this house, we don’t judge people on anything but their own actions,” she said, her eyes suddenly piercing. She pulled Lena into a hug, and it was as good as one of Kara’s. “Welcome to the family, dear.”

 

Lena stepped back, tears in her eyes.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr Danvers,” she said, nodding respectfully.

 

“Call me Eliza, please,” she said, smiling fondly. She turned her attention on Maggie and Alex, then, and Lena felt a wave of relief.

 

“See, she likes you,” Kara whispered, her arm around Lena. “I knew she would.”

 

“She obviously has good taste,” Lena teased, with a hint of her usual sass. Kara seemed a little relieved at seeing it.

“Come on in, you’re going to love our room,” Kara said, dragging Lena along with her. “I’ll come back and get our bags in a minute.”

 

 _Our room._ Of course. Of course it had to be a shared bed. Not that they hadn’t been sharing a bed thus far anyway, but… now things were different.

 

The view from Kara’s room was beautiful, and it was very much like her home in National City. Her paintings were displayed on a few different surfaces, and there were science posters and silly pictures, like the infamous kitten hanging from a branch with the caption ‘Hang in there’. Lena smiled fondly as she looked around.

 

“It’s very you,” she said, turning to see that Kara was watching her intently.

 

“Well, it is my room,” Kara said, a smile curving her lips. She fiddled with her glasses, a sure sign that she was nervous.

 

“Yes, it is,” Lena breathed, going to stand by the window and looking out at the sea. “It’s beautiful,” she said, as the grey waves crashed onto the rocks. She could imagine a teenage Kara sitting on those rocks, painting the view.

 

Kara stood behind her, putting her head on Lena’s shoulder and letting her arms slip around her waist.

 

“I’m glad you’re here,” Kara breathed, squeezing her tightly.

 

“Me too,” Lena said, swallowing. It wasn’t exactly a lie. Not exactly. She had always wanted to see Kara’s home, but things were so different, now. Especially because Kara didn’t remember.

 

“Are you okay, Lee?” Kara asked, sounding concerned.

 

“Of course,” Lena said, smiling brightly. “Fine. Just a little tired.”

 

“Well, you can get plenty of sleep now,” Kara said soothingly. “You’re on vacation.”

 

Lena wanted to shrug Kara off, but to do so would just make her more suspicious that something was up. She pasted on her best smile and put her hands on top of Kara’s where they rested on her abdomen.

 

“I’m glad to be here,” she said, leaning back into Kara a little. Kara breathed a tiny sigh of relief, squeezing her more tightly.

 

“I wouldn’t want to be fake-engaged to anyone else,” she said, her breath tickling Lena’s ear.

 

“Likewise,” Lena managed.

 

They stayed like that for a little while, until Maggie interrupted them.

 

“Come on, lovebirds. It’s almost time for dinner,” she said, smiling triumphantly as they both spun round, guilty looks on their faces. Lena was a little taken aback by that – she knew why she looked guilty, of course, since she’d been enjoying that cuddle way too much, but she had no idea what was wrong with Kara. 

 

Kara recovered quickly, grabbing Lena’s hand again, grinning at her. She pulled Lena along after her, and Lena let herself be led.

 

Dinner was the kind of thing that Lena had only ever seen before on television. Vegetables, pot roast, roasted potatoes, thick meat gravy, and chocolate pecan pie for dessert.

 

“You still make the best food on earth, Eliza,” Kara complimented, after they ate. “And the greatest dessert in the galaxy.”

 

“Thank you, sweetie,” Eliza said. “And what about you, Lena. Did you get enough to eat?”

 

“I did, thank you so much, Dr Danvers. Everything was delicious.”

 

“Please, call me Eliza, Lena. After all, I understand you’re going to be part of our family, soon enough,” Eliza said, gesturing at Kara and Lena’s left hands.

 

“Oh,” Lena said, surprised. “Of course.”

 

“I guess I have something I should tell you,” Kara said, a little sheepish. Lena was impressed at her acting skills – she actually looked embarrassed.

 

“So I hear, sweetie,” Eliza said, one eyebrow up. “So?”

 

“So, Lena and I… we’re getting married,” Kara said. Lena’s heart thumped in her chest. If only this was real.

 

“Congratulations, girls,” Eliza said, standing up and holding her arms out. Kara urged Lena up, and she found herself being thoroughly hugged for the second time that day by more than one Danvers. She held back tears with difficulty.

 

“I’m so pleased for you both. You look so happy together. I couldn’t have asked for better news,” Eliza said, drawing back. She smiled, and Lena couldn’t help but return it. Eliza must have been an extraordinary beauty in her youth, judging from how beautiful she was now, in her… 50’s, maybe?

 

“Actually, Mom, we have a little news too,” Alex said, smiling. She looked content, and it made Lena happy to see her like that.

 

“Really? But you’re already getting married next year, aren’t you?” Eliza asked, puzzled.

 

“Yeah, but we’re going to have a little Sanvers running around by then,” Alex said, grinning. Maggie touched her abdomen absently, smiling.

 

“You’re pregnant, Maggie?” Eliza asked, mouth wide open.

 

“Yeah,” Maggie said shyly.

 

Maggie and Alex were pulled into Eliza’s hug then, and Kara and Lena excused themselves to take care of the dishes. Kara washed and Lena dried, finding herself half-asleep at the routine of it.

 

“Are you doing okay?” Kara asked, nudging her a little.

 

“Of course,” Lena said, blinking. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

“Well, I just know that I hate lying, especially to Eliza. She’s the closest thing I have to a mother,” Kara said. “I thought you might be finding that difficult, too.”

 

“She’s a really caring, sweet woman,” Lena said. “I can’t say I relish the lying, but I understand that she’s very hard on Alex. Who knows, maybe the Sanvers baby will soften Eliza up a little. She won’t mind so much when we break up.”

 

Kara thumbed the ring on her left hand absently, staring off into space. She looked at Lena briefly with a wan smile on her face.

 

“Yeah, hopefully.”

 

There was silence for a while after that.

 

They returned to the living room when the dishes were finished, where Alex was wiping tears from her eyes. Eliza had located a dusty bottle of champagne that she asked Kara to cool.

 

“That’s not fair,” Lena mumbled. “Stupid Kryptonians.”

 

Kara flashed her a bright smile and blew her a kiss. Lena rolled her eyes.

 

They poured the champagne and toasted to Alex and Maggie’s new baby. Maggie had fizzy apple juice, of course, but she glared at Lena as she enjoyed the incredibly dry champagne. Kara, however, looked disgusted after one sip and went to get herself something sweet instead.

 

They played some Settlers of Catan for a while before Eliza and Maggie both started yawning. They said goodnight with hugs and kisses, and Lena made her way up to their room, Kara close on her heels. She was trying to avoid the unavoidable, she knew. Kara was like a dog with a bone. She was going to get to the bottom of Lena’s mood whether Lena liked it or not.

 

Lena busied herself with emptying her small suitcase and folding her clothes carefully or hanging them up in the space Kara provided for her. When she finished that task, she turned to find Kara watching her thoughtfully.

 

“I’m just going to jump in the shower before I sleep,” Lena said, smiling wanly. If she was lucky, Kara would be asleep when she got back. Right?

 

“Wait,” Kara asked, patting the bed beside her. “I wanted to ask you something.”

 

Lena sighed.

 

“Kara, I’m really tired. Can we talk another time?”

 

Kara’s face fell, and Lena’s heart went with it. She didn’t want to hurt Kara. That was the absolute last thing she wanted, as it happened. But how did she not? Kara didn’t _remember_ , and Lena had no idea how to deal with being the only one on earth who knew that they had slept together the night of Alex and Maggie’s pregnancy celebration. It was one of the most significant things that had happened in her personal life since she left Jack in her wake in Metropolis.

 

“Okay, of course,” Kara said, looking down at her hands, clasped in her lap. “I really appreciate you coming here, Lee, but if you have other things you need to be doing… I can take you home. Whenever. Alex and Maggie would be happy to drive your car home, and if they damage it I’ll get it repaired. The last thing I want is to make you feel uncomfortable.”

 

Lena sighed.

 

“Kara, I… I’m not uncomfortable. Exactly. I just… I didn’t realise it would be so difficult. Your foster mother, despite blaming Alex for things that are entirely out of her control, is a lovely, genuine woman, and I feel really bad about deceiving her. She’s welcomed me to the family, Kara, and I… I can’t say that it’s not something I want, you know?” Lena stared at her fingers, not noticing Kara’s sharp intake of breath and startled look.

 

“You… you want that?” Kara asked, wide-eyed.

 

Lena looked up.

 

“Of course, Kara. To be part of a real family? It’s one of my fondest dreams. I… I hate the idea of lying to Eliza, of gaining her friendship and affection by lying about our relationship to one another.”

 

Lena ducked her head. The thing was – she wasn’t lying. She wanted nothing more than to be part of this family, and deceiving Eliza didn’t sit right with her at all. She knew that there was never going to be more between her and Kara than a fumbled (amazing) one night stand that Kara couldn’t even _remember,_ but lying to Eliza was killing the dream that there might ever be something more between them.

 

“I’m so sorry, Lee. I didn’t… I didn’t think about what this might do to you. You’re so sensitive and sweet. I should have realised. I’ll tell Eliza first thing tomorrow, and if you’re not comfortable, I’ll take you back to National City right away, okay?”

 

Lena looked up to see tears in Kara’s eyes, and then she was engulfed in a huge hug.

 

“I’m so sorry,” Kara murmured, rubbing Lena’s back gently. Lena couldn’t help it; she relaxed into Kara’s arms, her body practically melting against Kara’s.

 

“It’s okay,” she managed, after a moment. She patted Kara’s back and then moved away, pulling herself reluctantly from Kara’s arms. Kara was staring at her, puzzled. “Hey, are you okay?” Lena asked, taking in Kara’s confused look.

 

“I just… it felt familiar, when you hugged me…” Kara trailed off. “It’s nothing, sorry.”

 

“Okay,” Lena said. She stood, heading for the bathroom. “I’ll just shower quickly. Get some sleep.”

 

Kara was touching her lips absently, and Lena left her behind, almost running out of the room to get away from the sight. She closed the bathroom door behind her, leaning against it, breathing in short, sharp gasps. It had looked for a moment like Kara was remembering what happened, and she wasn’t prepared for that conversation. Not in the least.

 

She had a quick shower, the water as hot as she could tolerate it, and by the time she crawled into bed beside Kara, the Kryptonian was snoring in tiny, adorable puffs. Lena smiled indulgently, wishing she just harboured platonic feelings for her friend. It would be so much easier, but she didn’t know how to stop feeling this way.

 

“I love you,” she murmured, almost under her breath. Kara’s snores continued, and Lena lay down, her back to Kara, closing her eyes. She knew it would be a while before she was able to sleep, but if she closed her eyes and stayed still long enough, she would probably sleep within the next few hours. Probably.

 

She didn’t notice Kara’s eyes open behind her, the Kryptonian never pausing in her feigned snoring. Kara watched over Lena quietly until she heard her heartbeat relax into its normal sleeping rhythm. A little while later, she followed Lena into sleep, her arm wrapped protectively around Lena’s abdomen. She may have murmured some words of love in _Kryptahniuo_ , but Lena was asleep long before that, and she wouldn’t have known the meaning even if she had been conscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for the lovely reception to this story. I promise you all that I read and appreciate every comment, and in normal circumstances I would reply to all of them, too, but I'm having technical difficulties at the minute and for boring reasons I can't reply to my comments. I really appreciate every single one though, seriously, so keep them coming - I am reading them. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas presents are exchanged, and Lena accidentally asks Kara to move in and to marry her.

* * *

Kara woke before Lena, the first touch of the sun on her skin calling to her like a siren song. She could never fully explain to another person how the sun’s rays made her feel. The only person who really understood was Clark, and he was so… human. It was a part of him, not something that he had first experienced at 13 like she had. He was already stronger than a train by the time he was in kindergarten. She stretched, feeling her muscles move in a delicious way under the skin, and she turned on her side to regard her bedmate. Lena Luthor was luminous in the first rays of the sun, her skin snow white and her hair darker than midnight. There were dark circles under her eyes, testament to a restless night, and Kara sighed. Lena felt things so deeply, and lying to Eliza was hurting her. Which meant Kara had to fix it. There seemed to be more to the issue than that, Kara thought, but she couldn’t work out exactly what it was. She remained worried that Lena’s odd mood had something to do with Kara’s lost memories from the night of Alex and Maggie’s party, but she had no proof, just an uneasy feeling. When Lena hugged her the night before, something had tugged at her memories. She couldn’t quite place it, however, so she shrugged and moved on.

 

She went to shower, knowing that Alex, Maggie and Eliza wouldn’t be up for another hour or so. It was still very early. She sped through the process, wanting to get downstairs and have a look at her Christmas presents with her x-ray vision. Eliza usually remembered to re-wrap all of her presents with lead-lined paper, but Kara thought she might have a good chance, this year. There had been a lot going on, so she might at least be able to see what Lena and Winn and James had bought for her. And Miss Grant had sent her something expensive from Washington. She didn’t allow herself to peek until Christmas morning; at least it was the same day, right? That was enough to keep her in line with tradition. And really, Christmas was more of a secular thing than any sort of religious holiday, as far as she’d observed. The Danvers weren’t even Christians; they were Jewish. But only in the same way that most people adhered to their religions on this planet. Loosely. They didn’t keep kosher or go to a synagogue, at least as far as Kara knew. They never had during her time on the planet at least.

 

Kara dressed carefully in a bright red sundress and a Christmas-themed cardigan that Alex had bought her one year as a joke, and she went downstairs to get breakfast started. No sooner had she started cracking eggs, however, than Eliza was there, shoo-ing her out of the kitchen and conjuring a sandwich to keep her occupied until breakfast was ready.

 

“Merry Christmas, Kara,” she said, kissing Kara’s cheek before swatting her on the bottom to get her moving.

 

Kara slouched into the other room, suddenly convinced by Eliza’s smile that there would be no peeking at presents. She pulled her glasses down to the end of her nose and looked at the pile of presents under the tree, sighing. Not only was each present covered with lead-lined paper, but there were a row at the front with pieces of lead paper cut out and stuck to the outside in shapes. Letters, specifically, that stood out to her x-ray vision.

 

“STOP PEEKING, KARA.”

 

Kara muttered a few Kryptonian curses about sneaky Earthlings, and she swore she heard Eliza snicker in the kitchen. The woman had ears like a bat.

 

She sent out some early morning Christmas messages to James and Clark and Winn and Miss Grant and Carter and Sam and Ruby, and even Snapper. The latter did not respond, but she imagined that he might have scowled and said something about the annoying blonde ponytail in his office, and that was enough to make her smile.

 

She had a few replies and was smiling at her phone when Lena came walking into the room. She was wearing a form-fitting red dress with subtle gold details, her hair loose around her shoulders, and her makeup understated. She was, in short, one of the most beautiful things Kara had ever seen in her entire life, on Earth or on Krypton.

 

“Rao, Lena,” she breathed, staring unabashedly. “You look so beautiful.”

 

Lena blushed, ducking her head shyly.

 

“You too, Kara. I love your cardigan. Does that… does it light up?”

 

Kara beamed, pressing the button inside the pocket of her cardigan that switched on the light for Rudolph’s shiny nose. Unfortunately, the cardigan also played the song about Rudolph, a tiny detail which Kara had forgotten.

 

_Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer…_

 

“ _Kara Zor-El Danvers, I swore if I ever heard that again I would put Kryptonite in your potstickers_!” came the yell from upstairs.

 

“Sorry!” Kara yelped, switching the thing off immediately. She looked at Lena for a moment, and they both dissolved into helpless laughter.

 

When they’d recovered, Lena asked about the cardigan.

 

“Alex bought it as a joke, not realising it played the song. I terrorised her with it that year, and she had PTSD about Rudolph, or so she said. It wasn’t my fault; she bought the cardigan,” Kara said, shrugging and grinning.

 

“You’re terrible, Kara,” Lena said, fondly. “Merry Christmas, darling.”

 

Kara smiled and leaned closer, noticing that Lena’s smile faded a little. She kissed her friend’s cheek and said, “Merry Christmas, Lena.”

 

She heard Lena take a deep and unsteady breath, and she moved back immediately.

 

“Sorry. Did I do something…?” she asked, puzzled.

 

Lena looked away, fidgeting with her fingers.

 

“Oh, Rao. I was supposed to confess to Eliza. Do you want to go wait upstairs while I explain?” Kara asked, jumping up, aghast.

 

“Explain what?” Eliza asked, coming into the room with two huge mugs of hot chocolate.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing, really,” Lena said, accepting the drink with a smile. “It’s just… my family, they weren’t big on, you know, Christmas traditions. Or family gatherings in general. And after Lex – well, let’s just say I feel a little out of my element, here.”

 

Lena bit her lip, looking up at Eliza, and Kara felt her breath catch, suddenly. Heat rushed through her, and she couldn’t work out why. What in Rao’s name was going on with her?

 

“Oh, Lena,” Eliza said, leaning down to hug her. “You don’t need to worry. You’re welcome here, and all we’re doing is enjoying a nice meal together, and watching crappy Christmas movies while eating far too much ice cream and snack food. You are welcome here, any time, with or without my alien daughter. So please, as much as you can – relax. You don’t need to be on edge, here. This is home.”

 

Eliza held Lena’s eyes until she nodded, swallowing. She turned to hand Kara her hot chocolate before berating her gently.

 

“I hope you haven’t done anything to make Lena feel insecure about being here, darling. You know she’s welcome.”

 

“Of course I know,” Kara protested. “I would never.”

 

She reached out and took Lena’s hand, smiling at her adoringly. It wasn’t an act; she _did_ adore Lena. Platonically.

 

Lena smiled at her weakly, and Eliza bustled out of the room, smiling in satisfaction.

 

“I’m so sorry,” Kara said, grimacing. “You didn’t need to cover for me. I was going to tell her. I don’t want you to be upset or uncomfortable, I…”

 

“Kara,” Lena interrupted. “It’s fine. I promise. I planned to tell you this morning when I woke not to tell her but when I woke up you were gone already. We might as well have an enjoyable holiday and stick to the plan. We tell her we broke up and that way no-one gets hurt.”

 

Kara watched Lena carefully for a minute. They were still holding hands.

 

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to…”

 

“I don’t. I just had a little bit of a freak-out last night, Kara. It’s nothing.”

 

“It didn’t seem like nothing,” Kara said, but then Alex and Maggie were running down the stairs and everyone was hugging and then they were at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Then it was the gift exchange.

 

“I didn’t know what to get you,” Kara told Lena, handing her a small mountain of presents. There were many – a National City University sweatshirt, comfortable pyjamas, the fluffiest blanket in existence, a sci-fi tv series that Lena hadn’t seen, a mug that looked like it would be cosy. Some perfume that reminded Kara of the wind over the sea, which then reminded her of Lena’s eyes. And finally, a necklace. Hand-made, because Kara had heat vision and unlimited access to gold and silver and other precious elements that were too far under the earth’s crust to be claimed by a human (or at least, that was her justification. Using current mining techniques, it would take humans 50 years or so to reach the depth at which she excavated.) It was a delicate gold necklace with a pendant in the shape of Rao’s solar system – or rather, how the Rao system used to look. Krypton, Daxam, even the long-gone moon of Wegthor – they were all there, punctuated with tiny slivers of diamond made by Kara. She had formed diamond from a piece of coal, crushing it and using her heat vision to superheat it until it became the hardest diamond.  

 

“Oh my, Kara, that’s… it’s too much!” Lena protested, looking at the delicately hand-beaten gold in her hands.

 

“It’s nothing,” Kara said, blushing slightly. She gestured for Lena to turn and she swept the hair from her friend’s neck, wondering why her fingers were trembling. She managed to close the necklace on the third try and turned to see the other three women in the room looking at her, wide smiles on their faces.

 

“If you’re quite finished, Kara,” Alex said pointedly, grinning.

 

Kara blushed even harder and she turned to look at Alex, thereby missing the wide-eyed look that Lena gave her as she touched the thin gold with the tips of her fingers.

 

The rest of the gift giving was the usual mess of bickering, laughter and tears that usually punctuated Christmas morning at the Danvers household. Eliza had bought the usual presents for her girls – underwear, socks, pyjamas and small pieces of jewellery. Maggie and Alex bought each other hopelessly sappy stuff, which Kara rolled her eyes at. Just because they were engaged and about to have a baby, didn’t mean they got to be unashamedly romantic without Kara making fun. They teased each other good-naturedly until they got to Lena’s presents for Kara.

 

Kara opened the small box with a nervous smile, pulling out a key. A key to Lena’s apartment? She stared at Lena, mouth open. Lena’s face was redder than Kara had ever seen it.

 

“Oh my,” Eliza said, loudly. “You’re moving in together? It’s about time!”

 

Kara took a sharp breath. Of course, that wasn’t what Lena meant by the key. It couldn’t be. They weren’t even… but then Eliza didn’t know that.

 

“Are you…?” Kara asked, eyes wide, as she looked at Lena.

 

“I just… I wanted you to feel at home, in my home,” Lena said, flushed.

 

“Thank you,” Kara said, throwing herself into Lena’s arms. She hugged her friend tightly, wondering why Lena was trembling, and what the key really meant. It didn’t mean moving in together, so it must be like how friends give each other spare keys, right?

 

Right.

 

“You are so cute together,” Eliza said, interrupting their embrace. Kara drew back reluctantly, opening the other things Lena had bought for her – a pre-paid potsticker card from her favourite Chinese restaurant, a Supergirl onesie with comedy abs, and a bracelet. It was silver with gold patterns etched into it, about 2 inches wide, and Kara’s breath caught at the sight of it. It looked almost identical to the bracelets that Kryptonians used in their bonding ceremonies.

 

“This is a family heirloom, going back to the days of King Arthur, or so I’m told,” Lena said, chewing on her thumbnail nervously. “I found it among my – among Lillian’s things, when she had to flee the authorities. It belonged to my birth mother, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to wear it.”

 

“Shouldn’t you save that for your wedding day, sweetie?” Eliza asked gently, touching the edge of the bracelet that was still in Kara’s shaking hand.

 

“What was that, Eliza?” Lena asked politely.

 

“I mean, if you’re giving Kara a bonding bracelet, you should probably wait for the wedding, right darling?” Eliza asked Kara, who smiled at her, heart pounding.

 

“Well, there’s no hard and fast rule,” Kara said, dissembling hopelessly.

 

“I just… I wanted to see it on your arm,” Lena said, even redder than before. “I didn’t… I suppose I hadn’t remembered the Kryptonian tradition.”

 

“It’s fine, sweetie,” Kara said, putting the bracelet on her left wrist instead of her right, where it would suggest that she was bonded. She was enough of a traditionalist that she didn’t want to appear as married, even to herself, under Kryptonian law. “Thank you so much.”

 

Alex suggested that she and Lena take a walk shortly after that, and Eliza decided to go and fuss with something relating to dinner. Kara sat on the floor, her haul of presents surrounding her, staring at the key to Lena’s apartment and the bracelet. The writings on the bracelet looked like an ancient language, one Kara had never seen before. It was beautiful.

 

“So, Little Danvers. Did you sleep with her?”

 

Kara stared at Maggie, wide-eyed.

 

“Did I sleep with… with Lena? Me? I mean, I slept in the same bed as her, yes! But that doesn’t mean we’re sleeping together!” Kara said, protesting. She felt like her head was going to explode.

 

“The night of our party, Kara. You guys disappeared, and you seemed… I don’t know, different? The next day. So spill it,” Maggie said, tilting her head and giving Kara her ‘Detective’ look.

 

“There’s nothing to spill,” Kara said, shrugging. “I don’t even remember anything from that night.”

 

Maggie nodded.

 

“I thought that might be the case. You didn’t know what those shots were, did you?”

 

“I thought it was that rum that Mon-El used to serve. Wasn’t it?”

 

“No, Kara. That liquor was from the same system as my ex, you know Darla? The Roltikkon system. They call it the memory thief. Whenever you get drunk on that stuff, it steals your memories away until you drink something just as strong. I don’t know what you did, kid, but Lena’s definitely different. Jumpy and weird. So maybe you should try drinking a little alien alcohol tonight?”

 

Kara shrugged helplessly.

 

“I didn’t bring any,” she said, spreading her hands.

 

“Maggie to the rescue, then,” Maggie said, grinning. “I have a bottle upstairs. Not the memory thief, but it should do the trick. I think.”

 

“Okay,” Kara said. “One drink can’t hurt. I mean, humans drink on Christmas day anyway, right? So it’s fine if I get a little silly.”

 

“Sure it is. Just keep it PG for the pregnant lady, okay? Because I can’t drink to forget.”

 

“Thank you, Maggie,” Kara said, smiling at her sister-in-law-to-be. Maggie was going to make a great addition to their family.

 

Lena and Alex came back from their ‘walk’ a little later, both smelling of cigarette smoke. Kara knew that Lena occasionally smoked when she was nervous, and a quick sniff near Alex proved that it was just secondhand smoke that she could smell on her sister.

 

“Hey, you,” she said, smiling at Lena, whose nose was bright red above the scarf that was still pulled up over her mouth. “You gonna emerge from that cocoon anytime soon?”

 

Lena narrowed her eyes.

 

“We can’t all be perfect Kryptonians and walk out in the freezing weather with nothing but spandex on our bodies, darling.”

 

“Oh, you wound me, Miss Luthor,” Kara said, hand on heart. “I was merely concerned that I might not get to see your beautiful face if you hid inside that scarf all day.”

 

Lena blushed, looking down at the floor, and Kara almost squealed in delight at the cuteness of the gesture. Lena was possibly the most beautiful and photogenic creature she’d ever come across.

 

“You’re killing me, Danvers,” she drawled, looking up at Kara through her eyelashes. It was Kara’s turn to blush, then, and she looked away, biting her lip. How did Lena always manage to turn her into a babbling mess? It didn’t make sense.

 

“Come on, time for our first terrible Christmas movie of the day!” Kara declared, grinning.

 

There were moans from Alex and Maggie, but Kara knew that her sister loved the terrible family movies just as much as she did, if not more, and Maggie pretty much went with whatever Alex wanted. And Eliza was a total sap, so she was quite happy to eat snacks and watch romantic movies while the turkey and the rest of the food cooked. All she had to do was pop in and baste the turkey every now and then.

 

Kara sat on her usual seat on the couch, Lena sitting next to her. Her friend was almost rigid, and Kara tugged at her hand, smiling, until Lena rolled her eyes and lay back against Kara. Kara put her arm around Lena, her forearm across her friend’s upper chest, leaving her other hand free for snacking. She sighed in satisfaction as Alex appeared with huge bowls of popcorn and other snacks, Eliza in her wake carrying a huge jug of lemonade and glasses.

 

“Okay, girls. What are we watching?” Eliza asked, smiling.

 

“A Princess for Christmas!” Alex shouted, sitting next to Maggie and grinning.

 

“Oh yeah, we haven’t seen that yet,” Kara said.

 

“I have,” Alex commented, winking.

 

Kara ignored her sister’s weird behaviour and found the movie saved on their DVR in the Christmas folder. She started it playing and was delighted when it started off like a fairytale. Lena settled back into her again and Kara relaxed, grabbing handfuls of popcorn and stuffing them into her mouth from time to time as the movie began.

 

When the main character was introduced, Kara tilted her head in confusion.

 

“Does anyone… do you guys think she looks like…”

 

“Lena?” Alex asked, cackling in delight. “Um, yeah. That’s why I chose it.”

 

Lena sat up, stiff and indignant.

 

“She does not. Her accent is terrible; she doesn’t even sound like she’s heard an American accent before in her whole life! I mean, where’s she supposed to be from? And that fashion sense! It’s terrible!”

 

“It’s true, Lee. You dress way better than she does. But… she does kind of look like you. Like, a lot. It’s not an insult! You look like the female lead in a hallmark Christmas movie. That is not to be sniffed at, I promise!”

 

Lena subsided, grabbing a handful of popcorn idly and leaning back into Kara, who sighed happily at the warmth and weight of her friend. She had the sudden urge to kiss Lena’s neck, underneath her hair where the tiny little hairs grew, and she had to bite her lip to stop herself. Where had that come from? She’d never thought about Lena that way before, had she?

 

She was disturbed by the odd thought, but managed to become absorbed in the movie again, and by the time the credits were rolling, she was snoring, and Lena’s head was tucked into the crook of her neck. Neither woman stirred when Alex, Eliza and Maggie crept out of the room, stopping only to put a blanket over the sleeping ‘fiancées’. Kara dreamed of green eyes, kissing soft lips, and the feel of nails on her back. She woke up an hour later, body covered in sweat, her arms wrapped around her sleeping friend.

 

“Hey, kiddo. You wanna wake up your fiancée? We all want to go for a walk.”

 

Kara turned her head to look at Maggie.

 

“Sure,” she said, stretching. She shook Lena’s shoulder gently, getting a soft curse in response, and she and Maggie both chuckled. That woke Lena, who shook her head a little.

 

“What’s wrong? Did I forget to sign the timesheets? Where’s my coffee, Miss Tessmacher?” she muttered, blearily.

 

“Wake up, Lee. You’re in Midvale with me, Kara, remember?”

 

Lena blinked a few times and then sat up a little straighter, rubbing her eyes.

 

“What time is it? No, scratch that. What _day_ is it?”

 

“Someone is not good with daytime naps,” Maggie observed. Kara giggled.

 

“Are you laughing at me, Danvers? Because I will end you, I swear. The kale smoothies are still on the table…” Lena muttered, turning her head to glare at Kara and at Maggie. Maggie recoiled.

 

“Hey, Luthor. Don’t go blaming me. I just came to ask if you wanted to go walk on the beach with Alex and Eliza and me. You stay sleeping if you want. No need to build a freeze ray, m’kay?”

 

Lena glared harder, pushing herself up and away from Kara’s body. Kara sighed, missing the comfort of Lena’s body against hers. Lena didn’t say anything, but she did look a little red in the face as she looked at Kara, her eyes a little wider than normal.

 

“I’m gonna leave you two to wake up. Five minutes, okay?”

 

Kara nodded, smiling at Maggie, and she stretched, feeling the delicious pull of her muscles under her skin.

 

“Did you have a nice nap?” she asked, as Lena stood in the middle of the room, confused.

 

“I did. You’re very comfortable,” Lena said, smiling. Her cheeks were still a little pink.

 

“Are you really okay, Lee?” Kara asked, eyes intent on Lena’s. “I can’t help but think I did something to upset you.”

 

“I’m fine, Kara. Really. We should get our jackets – it’s pretty cold out there.”

 

With that, Lena left the room, avoiding Kara’s gaze. Kara swore quietly to herself in _Kryptahniuo_ , shaking her head. Whatever had happened, clearly Lena didn’t want to talk about it. That meant that Kara needed to get a little drunk in the hope that she might get some of her memory back. Whatever happened, Lena meant too much to her for them to end up falling out over something Kara had done while drunk. She couldn’t bear the thought of it. She sighed, standing up, and went to find her coat and boots in preparation for their walk along the beach.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some conversations, some alien alcohol, and some mistletoe

* * *

Lena fetched her boots from the shoe-rack by the front door, shrugging on the heavy coat she had with her for any outdoor activities. Midvale was cold, a little exposed on the coast, and she was a little delicate for extreme cold or heat.

 

The day had been a strange one. By far, the best Christmas Day she’d ever had, but a strange one, too. Because Kara was… well, Kara. She held Lena like she was precious, and she’d bought her the sweetest presents, and Lena had gone and bungled her presents. The key to her apartment had seemed like a perfectly acceptable gesture when she thought of it, because they were friends. She hadn’t even thought about it when she picked up the presents to take with her, but in the context of their fake engagement, of course a key in a box would be taken as an invitation for Kara to move in. And to top it all off, she had pretty much proposed to Kara using a bracelet that looked so much like a Kryptonian mating bracelet that her mouth had hung open in shock when Alex showed her a picture of one from the Archives at the Fortress.

 

Alex, it turned out, was surprisingly level-headed. She had been observing Kara and Lena’s interactions and she had a theory that something had happened between them at the celebration of their baby-to-be.

 

“Did you guys kiss?” Alex had asked, as they walked to her favourite hiding spot underneath a rocky outcropping on the beach.

 

“Yes,” Lena admitted, reluctantly, while lighting a cigarette. She smoked rarely, but she felt she needed it after the Kryptonian bonding business.

 

Alex was looking at her carefully.

 

“You slept together, huh?”

 

Lena hung her head.

 

“I was really, really drunk, Alex… I would never, ever…”

 

“Relax, Lena. I can see how much you care for her, and honestly I’m a little mad at Kara right now for being so oblivious. You love her, don’t you?”

 

Lena shrugged a little.

 

“I’m not sure I’m the best judge of what love is, but… I think I do, yes.”

 

Alex eyed her sympathetically.

 

“If it makes you feel any better, I think she feels the same. I’m just not sure she knows that, yet.”

 

“I don’t think that’s true,” Lena said, shaking her head. “I think she is attracted to me… she couldn’t have done… that, if she wasn’t. But she doesn’t… she isn’t in love with me, not the way I am with her. I mean, she forgot that the whole thing happened! If that doesn’t tell you how much of a non-event it was to her, I don’t know what would.”

 

“Oh. You don’t know what the drink was, do you?” Alex asked, wide-eyed.

 

Lena lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

 

“I think the bar man that night must have been a chaos worshipper, honestly. The shots Kara was drinking – they were from Roltikkon 4, I think, and that particular drink is known as the Memory Thief. Until she drinks alien alcohol again, she’s not going to remember anything that happened after she became intoxicated.”

 

“Oh,” Lena said, taking a long draw from her cigarette. She knew exactly how bad it was for her, but sometimes only a cigarette would do. “So she hasn’t just forgotten because it was shit?”

 

“Lena, I don’t mean anything by this, because I am very, very happy with Maggie, but I very much doubt that you are shitty in bed. So let’s just lose that idea, shall we?” Alex suggested, shaking her head. “I think you should just try to relax while you’re here, and see where the week takes you. There’s mistletoe and New Year’s Eve to come, yet, not to mention at least another ten Hallmark Christmas movies with sappy romantic storylines. If that doesn’t get Kara’s motor running, then maybe you are a crappy lay. But I wouldn’t bank on it.”

 

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or to run away screaming,” Lena said, eyes narrowed. “But thank you, Alex, for trying to make me feel better. Whatever happens, I can’t lose her. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me.”

 

“I think that you might just be the best thing to happen to her, too,” Alex said, quietly, looking out at the grey waves crashing on the shore. “Kara needs someone like you in her life. Someone who supports her the way you do.”

 

Lena nodded at Alex uncertainly, turning her own gaze back to the sea and letting the sound of the waves relax her. She hoped fervently that Alex was right and that Kara would remember their night together in a positive light, but what were the chances? She was a Luthor, after all, and it wasn’t often that she got to have the happy ending. In fact, nothing in her personal life had ever gone her way before. Why would that change now?

 

She finished tying her laces, breathing in deeply. This was going to be fine. She could cope with a few more days sleeping in the same bed with Kara. And if Kara did remember, maybe she’d freak out and send Lena home. That was the mildest response Lena could imagine. If that happened, at least she’d be done with this, cuddling with Kara and pretending to be engaged to her. Because all of this - it was torment. Lena hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about it, because it was something she never believed she would have. But being here was like being inside a Black Mercy dream, she couldn’t help but feel. Kara had told her about it, being in her happiest place, and Lena felt that way, now. She didn’t want to leave but she knew she was going to have to, and that was killing her.

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Kara asked, kneeling in front of Lena, who wiped her eyes quickly and pasted on a smile.

 

“Of course, Kara. Come on. I feel like some fresh air.”

 

Lena stood and walked towards the back door of the house, leaving Kara still kneeling on the floor near the coat rack.

 

“Come on, slowpoke,” she called, over her shoulder. There was a whooshing sound and suddenly she found herself in the back yard, held tightly in Kara’s arms.

 

“Kara, what have I told you! No powers in the house,” Eliza complained.

 

“Ah, but we’re not in the house,” Kara said, tapping her temple as if pointing out her own genius.

 

“But you picked Lena up and sped out here, which means you _were_ using your powers inside the house.”

 

Lena looked up at Kara, seeing her bottom lip stick out, and she smiled. Eliza was feeling the full power of the Pout™. Poor woman. 

 

“Fine,” Eliza sighed, shaking her head. “Just be sure no-one sees you.”

 

Kara let Lena stand on her own, grinning, and Lena just rolled her eyes. Bloody dramatic Kryptonian.

 

The walk was lovely. The air was bracing and the waves were rhythmic and melancholy and somehow all the more beautiful for it.

 

“I love it here,” Kara said, her arm linked with Lena’s.

 

“I’ll bet,” Lena said. “It’s so soothing, hearing the sea.”

 

“It blocks out a lot of other sounds. It helped me get to sleep when I first got here. There was so much noise – I could hear literally everything. One night I couldn’t sleep because there was this scratching noise, and it turned out to be a beetle under the floorboards in Eliza and Jeremiah’s room.”

 

“I can’t imagine what that’s like,” Lena said, fascinated.

 

“It’s… not that fun, when you’re a kid. I had no powers on Krypton. I was probably a little stronger than a human, and I had better senses, but not like this. I can hear anything, if I choose to. It’s… disturbing, sometimes. To have abilities with so few limits.”

 

“I think that was part of Lex’s point,” Lena said, conversationally. “That no-one should have that much power. But the problem with that was, _he_ was the one who couldn’t be trusted with power. You and your cousin – you are a whole different proposition. From what you’ve told me, other Kryptonians haven’t – didn’t have such restraint, but… you two, certainly, you do. You can be trusted with the power you wield, and if Lex had removed his head from his own ass, he might have realised that he was the threat, not you.”

 

Kara stared at her, wide-eyed.

 

“I… I really love you, Lena,” she said, her cheeks reddening. She leaned down and kissed Lena on the lips, a brief peck only, but Lena felt it throughout her whole body. She managed not to gasp with difficulty.

 

“You two are so cute together,” Eliza squealed, having turned just in time to see Kara kiss Lena. Kara was wide-eyed, now, drawing back in confusion. She plastered on a smile, however, and hugged Eliza.

 

“Lena’s amazing,” she said, simply. Eliza smiled at them both, walking alongside them for a while, so Lena and Kara weren’t able to talk about the impromptu kiss.

 

After a while Maggie started to get cold so they turned back, warming themselves by the fire. Kara decided to shower, saying she was gross from falling asleep earlier. Lena stayed on the couch, accepting a cup of hot tea from Eliza and sitting down to watch another terrible Christmas movie, this one called “A Nanny for Christmas.” It was truly terrible, but for some reason, sitting there with Alex, Maggie and Eliza, she felt warm and loved in a way that she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt before. She held that feeling close, telling herself to make the most of it, because it wasn’t likely to happen again.

 

A little while later, Kara came downstairs, wearing tight trousers and a dark blue shirt that fitted close to her figure. Lena swallowed at the sight of those muscles straining against the fabric.

 

“Hey,” she managed, smiling.

 

“Hey,” Kara said, her eyes still a little wide – from the kiss earlier, Lena could only assume. She didn’t know what to say, so she just smiled, and Kara smiled back, sitting next to Lena but not touching her. When the movie was over it was time for dinner.

 

The turkey was just a little underdone, according to Eliza’s practised eye, so Kara blasted it with her heat vision for a few seconds. Lena had never been close by when Kara did that, and the display of raw power made her shiver.

 

“Hey, are you cold?” Kara asked, putting her arm around Lena and rubbing her upper arm.

 

“No, I’m fine,” Lena said. “I guess someone just walked over my grave.”

 

Kara looked at her, appalled.

 

“What?”

 

“You’ve never heard that saying?” Lena asked, looking from Kara to Alex.

 

“Um, no. That is totally freaky,” Alex said.

 

“It’s a thing that people say. When you get a chill, you say that someone walked over your grave. I think my biological mother used to say it.”

 

“That’s real creepy, Lena,” Maggie said, shaking her head.

 

Lena shrugged. It wasn’t her fault the Irish were superstitious. 

 

Dinner was amazing, another delicious home-cooked meal that filled her with warmth. They drank wine and toasted to one another, and enjoyed the delicious food and great company. Afterwards Alex and Kara set up a machine beside the sound system and started arguing over who was going to sing first.

 

“What are they doing?” Lena asked Eliza, as she stood in the doorway with a glass of wine in her hand.

 

“They’re setting up the old karaoke machine. They only have music from the 90s and early 00s, but it won’t stop them trying to one-up each other.”

 

“Can they both sing?”

 

“Oh yes,” Eliza said, chuckling. “I’d give Kara the edge for range, but Alex’s voice is sweeter, despite her nature.”

 

“Wow. Now this I have to see,” Lena said, walking to the couch and sitting next to Maggie. “Have you seen this before?”

 

“No,” Maggie said, “but Winn has, and he said it’s epic.”

 

“I put the Kara in Karaoke!” Kara yelled, and Lena had to stifle a snigger.

 

“They take this really seriously, don’t they?”

 

Eliza sat on her other side.

 

“Yes, they really do. Do NOT express a preference or you’ll never hear the end of it.”

 

“Can you sing, Luthor?” Maggie asked, sipping on apple juice with a sour expression on her face.

 

“No, not a note,” Lena said, cheerfully. “I can demonstrate if you want but it won’t be me who regrets it, I promise you.”

 

“Noted,” Eliza said, smiling.

 

The Danvers girls put up a good fight, but in the end it was Eliza who turned out to have the best voice of the three. Maggie refused to sing, and Lena sang a few notes to demonstrate how entirely tone-deaf she was. She was quickly excused from karaoke duty. Eliza accepted her trophy, the last slice of chocolate pecan pie, with a smug smile and a wink at Lena and Maggie. Not even Kara’s pouting could dissuade her from eating the pie triumphantly.

 

They watched a new-ish movie that was on the television for Christmas day, some ludicrous disaster movie about earthquakes, and when it approached midnight, Eliza disappeared and then reappeared with a lovely bottle of fizzy wine – not champagne, because Kara had such a sweet tooth and had complained bitterly about the champagne from the night before – and glasses. And mistletoe.

 

“It’s a Danvers family tradition that those who are of age kiss those that they want to kiss at midnight on Christmas night,” Eliza said, hanging the mistletoe from a handy hook, and she poured the wine quickly, handing them out to all but a slightly sullen Maggie, who brightened up when Alex pulled her close, kissing her on the forehead.

 

“Now, girls. Let’s toast,” Eliza said. Lena held up her glass obediently. “To love, and marriage, and starting a new life with the one you love.”

 

They obediently clinked their glasses and drank, while Eliza started to count down to midnight. Lena started to sweat, her fingers trembling around the glass. Kara was going to kiss her, again, and they had to look like they’d done this before, and she was so…

 

Kara was moving closer to her, with an apologetic grimace, but Lena just smiled nervously. Then Kara was kissing her, gently, her lips soft and supple. She tasted like the sweet, bubbly wine, and Lena found that to be a very apt description of Kara herself.

 

“Merry Christmas, Lena,” she said, moving back a few inches. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were rosy.

 

“Merry Christmas, darling,” Lena replied, touching her lips absently with her free hand.

 

They had another few glasses together, and Lena eventually realised that Kara was tipping alien alcohol into hers from a bottle that was hidden behind the couch. The realisation struck her like a blow. Kara was… Kara was going to remember, if Maggie was right. Then this would all be over. There was no way that Kara would ever want Lena. Not the way that Lena wanted her. _Craved_ her _._

 

Kara was glassy-eyed and giggling, but she wasn’t shocked, or surprised, or having some sort of alcohol-induced flashback. She was just Kara, a little silly and a lot cuddly.  

 

Maggie and Alex eventually got tired and announced they were going to bed, and Lena decided to follow suit. Kara hugged her and said she’d follow shortly, and Lena caught up with Alex and Maggie quickly after saying goodnight to Eliza.

 

“I thought you said she was going to remember?” she asked, voice low and urgent.

 

“I thought she would,” Maggie said, shrugging helplessly. “Maybe it needs to be the same drink? I don’t have any of that, Lena. I’ll send a message to Darla and see if she’ll send some down.”

 

“Thanks,” Lena said, sighing quietly. She could wait. A few more days would be fine, right?

 

Half an hour later, she was laughing at her past self, because Kara was wrapped around her like a koala, her face pressed into Lena’s hair, and it was all Lena could do not to gasp and cry out, to turn in Kara’s arms and kiss her and make love to her. It was torture, and when Kara started snoring into her hair, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She fell asleep eventually, Kara’s soft breaths in her ear.

 

It was going to be a long few days.

 

***

 

Kara was in a bit of a funk. Lena was wonderful. So, so wonderful. She had been the best about this whole thing, the fiancée business, lying to Eliza. And she was so pretty, and she smelled like sunshine and potstickers and happiness.

 

But she was distant, mentally, despite their physical closeness, and Kara had no idea why. She was convinced that something had happened at the alien bar or afterwards, but she didn’t know what, and she didn’t want to mention it until she knew. Clearly, the Romulan whiskey that Maggie brought with her from the bar wasn’t going to do the trick. So, on the evening of Boxing Day, Kara disappeared for an hour, asking Maggie and Alex to keep Lena distracted. She flew straight to the bar and sought out the barman who had been working the night in question. He was a strange-looking little guy, sort of a mix of fish and some sort of bird.

 

“Hey,” she said, waving to get his attention. He had been drying a glass and he turned to look at her, his eyelids blinking vertically instead of horizontally. His skin was somewhere between teal and aquamarine, and he had gills.

 

“Hello,” he said, smiling, showing a row of tiny sharp teeth. “Come to get more of the drink you had the other night?”

 

“How did you know?” she asked, puzzled.

 

“I expected as much after last week. You and your love needed a little push. I apologise for interfering, but it is my species’ way to try to nudge things in the right direction,” he said, grinning now.

 

“What does that mean?” Kara asked, frowning. “Did you hurt Lena? Is that why she’s being so strange?”

 

“I hurt no-one, Miss Supergirl,” he said, shaking his head. “You will see soon enough.”

 

He handed her a bottle of greenish liquid and smiled again.

 

“This is on me, as I believe your humans say.”

  
“Um, thank you?” Kara said, still frowning. “Why, though?”

 

“The result will be reward enough, Kara Zor-El. Now go home and take time to enjoy the sweetness of love surrounding you. I will be here if you need to speak with me, afterwards.”

 

He winked, his strange eyelids flicking across his left eye.

 

Kara waved, wondering how he knew her name, and she stepped out of the bar, taking to the air, bottle held tightly in her hand. She wanted to drink it right away, to sate her curiosity as soon as she could, but she knew she would probably end up flying into a 737 if she did. She set her jaw, increasing her speed slowly until she was away from the city, and then she broke the sound barrier, making it to Midvale in less than 30 minutes.

 

She landed in the backyard, carefully tempering her strength so as not to damage Eliza’s garden. It was her foster mother’s pride and joy. Kara was tired, in so many ways, of having to carefully calculate every movement so as not to hurt anyone or damage property.

 

She stepped through the back door and smiled as Eliza looked up from the sink.

 

“How are you doing, sweetie? Did you get your drink?”

 

“Yeah,” Kara said, smiling. She hadn’t explained to Eliza why she was flitting off to get this particular alcohol, other than to say that she really wanted that specific drink.

 

“Great. Dinner’s in a half hour, and Lena’s napping upstairs,” Eliza said.

 

Kara leaned over to kiss her foster mother’s forehead, and she made her way up to their room, where she found Lena snoring, drooling adorably on the pillow. Kara stood there for a moment, taking in the sight, and Alex and Maggie suddenly appeared in the hallway behind her.

 

“You enjoying yourself, Zor-El?” Alex asked, amused.

 

Kara turned to look at her sister, noting her increased body temperature, her flushed skin, and her sex hair.

 

“You two clearly have been,” she retorted. Maggie grinned, heading downstairs and leaving them to their conversation.

 

“You sneaky Kryptonian,” Alex said, shaking her head. “You’re not supposed to use your powers for this stuff.”

 

“Yeah, well, it’s a little difficult when I have a sense of smell _this_ strong,” Kara said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

 

“Ew, Kara,” Alex said, slapping Kara on the arm. Kara’s reflexes weren’t as quick as usual, and she was preoccupied with watching Lena sleep, so she didn’t notice when her sister’s sleeve caught on the top of the bottle. It pulled from her grip and she didn’t realise until it was too late. The bottle hit the floor and shattered, splashing the memory thief all over the varnished wood floor.

 

Lena sat up with a start, staring around her in panic, and Kara sighed.

 

“See what you’ve done now?” she muttered, throwing a dirty look at Alex. “Now I have to go get some more.”

 

“Good luck trying to get Eliza to agree to let you leave for another hour,” Alex said, shrugging. “Sorry, though. I’ll see if Maggie had any luck getting some shipped.”

 

Kara sighed and then shot in and out of the bathroom, clearing up the glass and the remnants of the precious alien alcohol. She wasn’t going to get any answers tonight, it appeared.

 

“Sorry, Lee. I got myself some new alcohol and Alex knocked it out of my arms,” Kara explained. Lena was still looking at her, dazed.

 

“It’s okay,” she said, after a moment. “Is that the stuff that you had the night we were at the bar?” she asked, quietly.

 

“It was,” Kara said, nodding.

 

“Oh,” Lena said. “I didn’t realise you liked it that much.”

 

“Um… yeah. It was nice. I wanted to see if I liked it as much the second time round,” Kara said, figuring that a little white lie wouldn’t hurt.

 

“Okay,” Lena said, nodding. She got out of bed and gathered some clothes together. “I’m going to change. See you at dinner?”

 

Kara nodded, leaving Lena to get ready, and she went to sit outside on the porch with a cup of hot chocolate that Eliza handed to her, almost automatically, it seemed.

 

“You okay, Kar?” Maggie asked, nudging her shoulder as she sat on the porch swing next to her.

 

“Yeah,” Kara said, a little melancholy.

 

“You went to get that alien alcohol, huh?” Maggie asked.

 

“I did. Unfortunately your wife-to-be knocked it onto the floor.”

 

“Sorry, Kar. I thought any alien alcohol would work, which is why I gave you that whiskey, but I guess that didn’t work?” Maggie said.

 

“No, it didn’t. I have no idea what happened that night, other than that Lena’s upset, and I hate that, Maggie. I hate it that I hurt her and I don’t even know what I did.”

 

“You’ll figure it out, Little Danvers,” Maggie said, smiling. “And I’m sure that, whatever it is, you’ll work it out with Lena. You guys love each other, right?”

 

“Of course,” Kara said, without hesitation. “But I hurt her, and I don’t know how.”

 

“I put in an order to Darla last night. I haven’t heard back yet, so I’ll message her again, okay?”

 

“Thanks, Maggie.”

 

They had dinner together, and it was a slightly quieter affair, but no less affectionate. Lena sat next to Kara and she wasn’t half as distant as she had been, before. She was cheerful and smiling and while Kara wasn’t sure what had caused the change, she was glad of it. They snuggled up on the couch afterwards and watched Elf, Kara giggling the whole way through, and Lena rolling her eyes fondly. They watched the stars afterwards from the porch, just the two of them, and went to sleep wrapped up together. Before Kara drifted off, she stared at the beauty lying next to her, thanking Rao that Lena was in her life. She definitely did not think about placing a gentle kiss on her lips, the way she had done the night before, because that had been to continue their ruse about being engaged – it wasn’t a real kiss. And Kara didn’t want to kiss Lena, because they were just friends.

 

She didn’t dwell on why she kept staring at Lena’s pale lips, glistening in the moonlight from the balm Lena had applied before sleeping. She definitely didn’t wonder what it tasted like, because they were friends.

 

Just friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely comments. Again, I'm sorry I can't reply, as I normally do. But I appreciate each and every one of them. This little story is silly and far-fetched and ridiculous and I'm thrilled that you're all so invested. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An enlightening conversation with Eliza, and a night out with the Danvers girls.

* * *

Lena woke early the next morning, Kara still wrapped around her, and she stiffened automatically. She had a moment’s panic, but then she remembered that Kara had flown all the way back to National City the night before to get more of the Memory thief drink. So she wanted to know what happened that night, too. Was it possible that she had remembered something about that night? Even if she hadn’t, Lena found it comforting, for some reason, that Kara wanted to find out. It made her feel less alone.

 

Kara sighed into the back of her neck and Lena shivered, just a little. Why did Kara have to be so irresistible? Lena let herself, just for a moment, remember the way Kara had looked underneath her. The way her eyes widened when Lena touched her. The way she had smiled, mischievous as ever, when she looked up at Lena from between her legs. It was torture, exquisite, beautiful torture. The thought of never having that again – it was horrible.

 

“Lena,” Kara murmured, pulling Lena back into her body. “Lee…”

 

Lena shivered again before settling back into the warmth of Kara’s body. They were pressed together intimately, Lena’s ass nestled into Kara’s crotch, and she tried not to whimper at the feeling. It was too much like that night, like how they’d been with each other that night, Kara’s hand buried between Lena’s thighs.

 

“ _Khap zhao rrip_ ,” Kara murmured, pressing her lips to Lena’s neck. “ _Khap zhao rrip_.” She sighed again, settling against Lena again and seemingly falling back into a deep sleep.

 

Lena’s heart was thundering. She wanted nothing more than for Kara to kiss her and make love to her again, to tell her that she was special and beautiful and compare her eyes to the moons of some planet that Lena had forgotten the name of. She let herself harbour the hope that Kara might actually return her feelings, relaxing into Kara’s arms again, and a few minutes later, she slipped out of bed soundlessly and wrapped herself up in one of Kara’s oversize hoodies, heading outside and down to the beach.

 

She took out her cigarettes and lit one, taking a deep drag, and she felt it begin to calm her immediately as she settled herself on top of a rock, looking out at the sea. The waves were foam-covered, the air cold, and the sky was grey. It was perfect for her mood.

 

“Can I bum one of those?” a voice asked from behind her. Lena’s head whipped round.

 

“Oh, hi, Eliza,” she said. She pulled the box from her pocket and offered it to Eliza, who pulled one from the packet and lit it expertly, sitting next to Lena and passing the box back.

 

“Filthy habit,” Eliza remarked, after taking a deep drag and sighing in satisfaction.

 

Lena snickered.

 

“You know, you’re not what I expected, Dr Danvers,” she said, smiling at Kara’s foster mother.

 

“How so?” Eliza asked, smiling gently.

 

“I thought you’d be a little more like Kara, with the ‘golly’ and ‘gee willikers’, and here you are, smoking that like a boss. I have a feeling that even if it was one of my ‘special’ cigarettes you would have taken it with as much nonchalance as you did the cigarette.”

 

Eliza chuckled, a low, pleasant sound.

 

“I’m not very much like Kara, I suppose. Or rather, she’s not very much like me. She learned a lot of her vocabulary from television shows, and her tastes ran to older shows, which is why she’s got some… anachronistic idioms mixed in there. It’s hard for an alien to work out what is a saying they should repeat, and what’s gone out of fashion. She did her best to assimilate, but…” she gestured vaguely with her cigarette. “I can’t imagine what she went through. And then there we were, Jeremiah and myself, trying to make her be less than she is, just to keep her safe. I mean, do you have any idea how intelligent that girl is? She makes me look like a pre-schooler. She gave up on science when she got to Earth because it was so primitive and basic that it was like trying to study cave drawings, I think. Plus our number system is totally different.”

 

“I have always had an inkling that she knows much more than she lets on. I remember asking her what she knew about quantum entanglement once, and polyatomic anions, and she just gave me this innocent look. I didn’t realise then, but I suspect she knows much more than I’ll ever know about that and so many other things.”

 

Eliza nodded, and they looked out at the sea for a few minutes in silence.

 

“So, do you want to talk about it?” Eliza asked, after the silence had drawn out a little longer than was comfortable for Lena.

 

“Talk about what?” Lena asked, finishing her cigarette and stubbing it out carefully on the stone next to her before wrapping it up and putting the stub in her pocket.

 

“About why you’re out here at… 8.30am when you could be sleeping, or doing whatever you kids do in bed when you’re on vacation,” Eliza said, teasing. She bumped Lena’s shoulder with hers, and Lena blushed profusely.

 

“I… wow, I do not want to talk about sex with you, Dr Danvers,” Lena said.

 

“I’ll bet,” Eliza said, chuckling. “But then you and Kara aren’t having sex, are you? Since you’re not really together. What happened? Did Alex make up the engagement to keep me quiet?”

 

Lena’s head whipped round and she stared at Eliza in shock.

 

“How… what do you… God. You know? You knew this whole time?” she asked, mouth open.

 

“Not the whole time, but I figured it out,” Eliza said, shaking her head, a smile on her face. “I know I’m too hard on Alex. It’s a bad habit. I had to rely on her a lot to keep Kara safe – I couldn’t very well go to school with her. So when something happens or doesn’t happen in Kara’s life, I tend to try to get Alex to fix it. I went a little far this time, I realise. But when she told me Kara was engaged, I was praying it was to someone smart and accomplished like you, and not some idiot like that boy she shot into space. So how do you feel about Kara? I don’t think I need to ask, from the way you look at her, but I’d really like to hear it from you.”

 

Eliza was looking at her so kindly that Lena just told her the truth.

 

“I’m in love with her. I don’t know how she doesn’t realise. It’s not like I haven’t been completely obvious about it.”

 

Eliza laughed, a tinkling, sweet little laugh that made Lena smile. “Kara never sees these things. She’s remarkably obtuse when it comes to relationships. I think it’s because Kryptonians didn’t do dating. They had a computer that chose their perfect match for them.”

 

“Really? I think she mentioned that once but I forgot to ask her. How did it work?”

 

“I have no idea,” Eliza said. “I would imagine it’s some sort of heuristic algorithm like on our dating sites, but I’m only guessing. They might even have had some sort of magic, since apparently that really exists. I suppose if we accept the fact that sunlight can turn a being into a superpowered battery, we can accept that magic is real. Anyway, the point is that Kara doesn’t always see what’s in front of her. But I will say that I’ve never seen her look at anyone quite the way she looks at you, Lena. I suppose it would take someone as extraordinary as you to capture her attention. It makes a weird sort of sense.”

 

“If she really does feel that way about me, why doesn’t she remember?” Lena burst out, before putting her hand over her mouth.

 

“Remember what, dear?” Eliza asked, turning her piercing gaze on Lena.

 

“Um… can I plead the fifth, Dr Danvers?”

 

“You slept together?” Eliza asked, one eyebrow up, voice calm.

 

“How can you even talk about this?” Lena asked, cheeks flaming.

 

“I’m a scientist, Lena. Bodily functions, sex, birth, death – none of it is new to me. I don’t want to know the details, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not foolish enough to believe that someone of Kara’s age hasn’t ever slept with anyone.”

 

“Oh,” Lena said, quietly. She pulled out another cigarette and lit it, offering another to Eliza, who took it and lit hers while Lena collected her thoughts. “We went to celebrate Maggie’s pregnancy a couple of nights before we came here. Kara got drunk on some shots of this drink, which, as it turns out, is called the Memory Thief. I was peer-pressured into drinking Maggie’s share of the human alcohol, and a while later Kara and I were dancing like idiots, and a while after that she told me that my face was sunshine, and well… one thing led to another. And the next day she didn’t remember a thing. I can’t even look at her without remembering every detail, and she’s completely oblivious!”

 

“And because you are pretending to be her fiancée, you’re cuddling and kissing and I suppose that’s killing you, am I right?” Eliza asked.

 

“Well, not killing me. But it’s certainly difficult. Because I don’t want it to be fake, Eliza, but I’m not sure she feels that way about me.”

 

“I think you’re mistaken, Lena,” Eliza said. “Do you think you can cope with another day or two until the alcohol arrives? I overheard Maggie saying she’d ordered it from someone called Darla?”

 

“You don’t miss a trick, do you?” Lena said, admiringly.

 

“I don’t get much company through the year, so believe me, I live vicariously through my girls when they’re here,” Eliza said, looking sad suddenly.

 

“I’m sorry they don’t come to see you as much as they should,” Lena said. “If you were my mother I’d be here all the time.”

 

“You only say that because your mother is batshit crazy, dear,” Eliza said, not unkindly. Lena snorted.

 

“You’re not wrong. But I mean what I say. Your girls should come to see you more often. They don’t know what they’ve got.”

 

Eliza scooched across the rock a little and pulled Lena in for a side hug, and Lena put her head on Eliza’s shoulder. They sat and watched the sea until Eliza’s ears detected banging coming from her kitchen.

 

“Oh Lord. If Kara tries to make pancakes this morning l will cry. The last time it took me a week to get the batter off the ceiling.”

 

They headed back to the house arm-in-arm, and just before they reached the gate, Eliza turned to her.

 

“Keep it together, Lena, just for a few more days. Kara might surprise you.”

 

Lena nodded mutely, and they stepped inside the backyard and then into the house, where a mini-riot seemed to be happening in the kitchen. Lena grinned as she watched Alex trying to put out a small fire on the stove, Kara running around with pancake batter on the back of her head, and Maggie trying not to fall over because she was laughing so hard. Lena exchanged amused looks with Eliza before heading upstairs to shower.

 

The reminder of the day was spent vegging out and watching more terrible Christmas movies while stuffing their faces with leftover turkey sandwiches. Eliza managed, somehow, to make what was usually a dry bird into a moist feast with stuffing and thinly-sliced cooked vegetables including Brussels sprouts and carrots and parsnips, and it was one of the nicest things Lena had ever put in her mouth. When she unwittingly said just that, Maggie turned to her and asked, “Are you sure about that, Luthor?”

 

Alex fell off her chair and Kara just looked at everyone in confusion until Lena, red-faced, shrugged. What could she say? Sorry your sister-in-law is making jokes about the oral sex you and I had? You know, the sex that you don’t remember?

 

Eliza excused herself from the room, and Lena was sure she could hear the older woman snorting in amusement. She muttered under her breath, calling the woman a traitor, and Kara looked at her in confusion. Lena just smiled, taking another bite of the sandwich to avoid answering any questions.

 

They went to a local bar that night to meet up with some of Kara and Alex’s school friends, and Lena was once again lost in confusion, because Kara was introducing Lena as her fiancée, and she didn’t _need_ to do that with her friends. But she did it anyway, and Lena played along, holding Kara’s hand and relaxing into her arms when Kara appeared behind her. She sipped wine and tried to ignore the curious looks at the Luthor billionaire slumming it in Midvale. Being wrapped up in Kara’s arms and listening to anecdotes about their childhood was a joy, and she could tell why Alex had such a huge crush on Vickie Donaghue. The woman was beautiful, if a little rounded and wrinkled by age and from bearing a few children. Her husband was handsome but balding, and she thought she saw Vickie watching Alex with barely-concealed yearning.

 

“So, that’s the one that she liked when she was a teenager?” Lena asked, turning so that her lips were right next to Kara’s ear. Kara was behind her, arms around her waist, and Lena was starting to get way too comfortable with this level of PDA with her not-fiancée.

 

“Yeah,” Kara said, shivering a little. “She seems kind of sad, doesn’t she?”

 

“I think she’s seeing what she could have had, if she hadn’t given in to what she thought she had to be,” Lena said, sighing. Heteronormativity sucked.

 

“Yeah,” Kara agreed. “Alex and Maggie look so happy.”

 

Lena nodded. They really did. They were luminous; young, pretty, in love. It was lovely to see.

 

“I love you, you know that, right?” Kara said, quietly.

 

“I do,” Lena said, her heart thumping. “And I love you too, Kara.”

 

Kara nodded, kissing Lena’s temple, and they turned to watch Alex and Vickie’s husband, whose name she couldn’t remember, arm-wrestling. Alex won by a mile, and the car salesman challenged Kara to a match, too, and lost in seconds. Kara shrugged.

 

“I work out a lot,” she said, and Lena came up behind her, pulling up her shirt enough to display her abs. Kara and Alex’s friends gave her a round of applause and the car salesman bought them a round of drinks. All in all, it was a fun night, and another example of the kind of life than Lena wanted more than anything. To meet new people and to be comfortable, to be happy, to get on just fine? It was unheard of for her. Every room she’d ever walked into had been full of potential threats, whether emotional or physical, but this time she’d spent with Kara and her family had been filled with comfort and laughter and silences that didn’t hurt. Lena made a promise to herself, there in that grungy bar in the middle of Midvale, that if she couldn’t have this with Kara, she’d try to find it somewhere else. She wanted this, fiercely – not just a relationship with Kara, but a family and friends. She wanted to go home to a place that was filled with warmth and laughter and people who cared about her. Her apartment was beautiful and comfortable but it was huge and empty and no-one but her ever set foot there. Well, other than Kara.

 

“Are you okay?” Kara asked, pulling Lena a little closer.

 

“Yes,” Lena said, smiling. Because right then, she really was. She was in Kara’s arms and she was safe and she was loved, whether it be romantic or platonic. She would take it, either way. Even if Kara said that their night together was a mistake. Because she couldn’t lose Kara, and if Kara was freaked out by what happened, she would fight to keep her.

 

“Good,” Kara said, nuzzling into her hair a little. Lena rolled her eyes. Kara had no idea what platonic meant, she was sure. Or where the line was between platonic and romantic. Maggie caught Lena’s eye and smiled widely, teeth showing white against the darker skin of her throat.

 

“What’s Maggie smiling at?” Kara asked. She was swaying to the music, and Lena was moving a little with her.

 

“Nothing, sweetie. She’s just happy.”

 

“Me too,” Kara said. Lena hummed deep in her throat, and they didn’t speak again for a while.

 

They went home a while later, Alex a little worse for wear, and Lena only had enough energy to change into her pyjamas and fall into bed, and into Kara’s arms, before she was out, dreaming of family and friends and warmth and love. It was a good dream, one she didn’t want to wake from.

 

***

 

Lena was calmer, more settled, and the distance between them had disappeared. Kara was relieved, because it seemed like whatever their problem had been, it was either resolved or forgotten. This week, despite the occasional weird atmosphere, had been one of the best of Kara’s life. She was starting to realise that the reason for that was Lena. Lena, who didn’t mind when Kara cuddled her for too long, who giggled along with Kara and the rest of the Danvers/Sawyer women when they watched Disney movies and awful, terrible Hallmark Christmas movies. Lena, who was the single most beautiful thing that Kara had seen on 12 worlds, in 4 galaxies.

 

Lena was still, even after a year and 5 (or was it 6?) months, was still something of an enigma to Kara. Kara was helpless against that smile, helpless when Lena bit her lip and looked up through her lashes, but she was also helpless against Lena’s habit of shutting people out when she felt vulnerable and hurt. It was… Kara couldn’t think of anyone else, except perhaps Miss Grant, who had ever affected her this way. Maybe Mon-El, but she had never truly felt safe with him, not in the way she felt with Lena. It was all a puzzle. But Kara had always struggled with processing her emotions, especially where friendship was concerned. Most of her friends had, at one point or another, professed their interest in her, sexually, and Kara never seemed to have a friendship where that didn’t come up. Except for this one, of course.

 

In saying that, though, she had to acknowledge that she had had a powerful urge to kiss Lena when they were walking on the beach on Christmas Day. Because Lena had started talking about Kara and Clark’s powers, and first of all Kara had been frightened that her friend was going to say she agreed with Lex’s philosophy, but what she said instead was that Kara and Clark were the ones who could be trusted with that sort of power, and it was Lex who would never be able to be trusted. It had startled Kara and brought this… _something,_ surging up in her chest, this pressure that was somehow beautiful, and she kissed her. But friends kissed each other sometimes. And kissing Lena was… it was really, really nice. Because she smelled nice and she was a great kisser, and she was just the right height, and Kara liked playing with her hair, like, a lot. Her hair was so much softer than it looked and she just…

 

Rao, Kara loved her. With all of her pathetic Kryptonian heart. Now that she’d spent time being Lena’s friend, and pretending to be her fiancée, she didn’t see how she could be interested in someone who didn’t treat her the way Lena did. There couldn’t be anyone out there who was better than Lena, so it was going to be a tall order to find someone better when she was ready to settle down and marry.

 

Her heart thumped when she thought about marriage, and she wasn’t really sure why. She did idly think that she and Lena would make beautiful babies, but friends thought about stuff like that, didn’t they? It was just a girl thing.

 

She turned over in bed, and Lena let out a little grumbling noise before turning over, too, and wrapping her arms around Kara’s waist. She settled with her head against the back of Kara’s neck and fell asleep again, and Kara let out a little sigh of relief. She didn’t want to go home, not after this. She wanted to stay in this little bubble in Midvale forever. She couldn’t very well impose upon Lena to stay with her every night, even though they had been doing that before they came here. Lena was busy, a CEO of two companies, really, and she didn’t need her too-clingy alien friend making her life difficult. Kara moved herself back a tiny bit, feeling Lena’s arms tighten around her, and Lena kissed her neck, once, twice. It felt amazing, and Kara smiled as she got goosebumps all over her body. Nope, she definitely didn’t want this to end. She had rarely felt so safe on Earth as she did when she was in Lena’s arms, and she didn’t know how she would be able to live without that feeling once they were back in National City.

 

She fell asleep, still wrapped up with Lena, until Eliza knocked the door a little later to say that Alex and Maggie were going surfing and did they want to join. Kara jumped up, then, because surfing was one of her favourite things, and she had been looking forward to it for weeks. Lena pulled herself out of bed a little less enthusiastically, but she still smiled unreservedly when Kara said “Good morning.”

 

It was going to be another great day, Kara thought, as Lena brushed her hair out of her face and blinked. Another great day with her best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just reminding you all that my laptop hates me and I still can't reply to comments. Sorry. But thank you for taking the time to leave them - I promise I read every one. For anyone who is annoyed at the pacing or Kara's apparently inability to see the gay, I am sorry. But this is trope-tastic, and while it's hard to justify calling it slow-burn when they've already banged, things won't be resolved until it's time. But it won't be that long, I promise. :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Eliza get to know each other a little better, Kara and Alex are called away to help with a situation, and Kara seems to be starting to realise that her feelings aren't just platonic...

* * *

Lena blinked as she watched Kara disappear into a hut on the beach and come out in a bikini. It was a pretty deserted stretch of beach, and she knew Kara didn’t need to wear a wetsuit like the ones that Alex and Maggie were currently sporting. But seeing her standing there, in weather so cold that Lena was wearing approximately 8 layers, kind of knocked the stuffing out of Lena. Kara really was an alien. Not only that, but… abs.

 

Lena tried hard not to drool. She did not succeed.

 

“You know, dear, I think we should bring back the practice of carrying handkerchiefs around. That way, I wouldn’t have to see you drooling like that over my daughter’s admittedly impressive musculature.”

 

“Oh my god,” Lena said, hiding her face in her scarf. Yes, she was wearing a scarf, and Kara was wearing a tiny two-piece bikini. “You are way too okay with embarrassing me, Eliza.”

 

“We’re secret cigarette buddies now,” Eliza said, grinning. “We keep each other sane.”

 

Lena laughed, surprised by how free she sounded.

 

“I like you, Dr Danvers. I can see where Alex gets that dry sense of humour from.”

 

“She did not inherit my sense of humour. I swear I didn’t see her smile for the six years before she met Maggie,” Eliza said lightly.

 

“Well, she is military,” Lena allowed, smiling.

 

The Danvers girls and Maggie were taking to the waves. Alex was showing Maggie what to do, but Maggie didn’t seem to need too much instruction. Kara needed none, it seemed. Her sense of balance was incredible.

 

“Is she using her powers to do that?” Lena asked, enthralled by Kara riding the crest of a wave like a pro.

 

“No,” Eliza said. “She pretends to be clumsy, but she’s annoyingly co-ordinated. To move in our world the way she does, she has to calculate everything to the last detail. Pressure, speed, strength, temperature – all of her powers are carefully judged. She can’t walk without calculating how not to step too hard. I am pretty sure she floats most of the time, to avoid damaging whatever she’s walking on. I don’t know how she does it.”

 

“I never thought about it. How does she do all that, and listen out for people in danger, and fight aliens and still have a day job? Does Superman do all of that?” Lena asked.

 

“Some of it comes easier for Clark. He grew up and his powers came in gradually as he matured. Some of their powers don’t come in until after puberty. Clark didn’t fly until he was twenty years old. Kara could fly right away. She got hit with all of the powers, all at once. It must have been… unbelievable. To learn how to control all of that, and to try and pretend to be a normal human when she knew next to nothing about us? She… she is a miracle, Lena. And not because of the powers, but because she can handle the powers, and because she uses them to help people.”

 

“I know,” Lena said, transfixed as Kara began to paddle out into the waves again. “She is incredible.”

 

“Then why don’t you tell her that?” Eliza asked. She pulled a beer from her bag, and then another, handing it to Lena and clinking the bottles together.

 

“If I tell her, and she doesn’t reciprocate, I could ruin everything,” Lena said. “I don’t think I can handle losing her, Eliza. If she’s just my friend, at least she’s in my life, you know?”

 

“How do you think she’s going to react to knowing that you two have already slept together and she is the only one who doesn’t know?” Eliza asked, taking a sip from her beer.

 

“I don’t know,” Lena admitted.

 

“How would you react, in her position?” Eliza asked.

 

Lena thought about it. First off, she’d probably be embarrassed. Especially if she didn’t know if Kara returned her feelings. She’d need time to think. She would… withdraw. Of course she would. That was her MO when she was uncertain.

 

“I think I’d run away and hide for a while. Is that… do you think Kara would do that, too?” she asked.

 

“I think you just need to look at what happened with Mon-El to see how she’d react,” Eliza said. “She withdrew into herself. If she finds out that you were together that night, she’s going to assume that you don’t feel ‘that’ way about her, because otherwise you would have told her. And you were a little… distant, weren’t you, the first day or two? So she’ll assume that it’s her fault.”

 

“I don’t know if I can tell her,” Lena said. “I don’t know if I can physically get the words out.”

 

“Tell me what?” Kara asked, having sneaked up somehow while Lena was freaking out.

 

“I’ll leave you girls to talk,” Eliza said, stripping off her clothes quickly, leaving her in a short wetsuit. She took the surfboard from Kara’s arms and ran out to the waves, her body surprisingly trim and strong. Lena watched her go, mouth open.

 

“You want to go for a walk?” Kara asked, eyeing Lena carefully.

 

“Sure,” Lena managed. She stood carefully, draining her beer, and she walked alongside Kara, who reached out and caught her hand, interlacing their fingers. Her hand was so, so warm. Much warmer than anyone had a right to be after being in the sea in December.

 

“So there’s something you want to tell me?” Kara asked, smiling at Lena gently.

 

“I… I really don’t think that I can, Kara,” Lena said, beginning to panic. “I just… I don’t know how to…” She broke off, her breath starting to stutter in her lungs. She felt her vision darken at the edges, her fingers tingling, and then Kara was holding her, and she was warm all over, and Kara’s heart was beating underneath her palm. She breathed in and out with the beating of Kara’s heart, and a few minutes later she could see and think again. 

 

“Are you okay, Lena?” Kara asked, her eyes wide with concern.

 

“I’m okay,” Lena said. “I’m so sorry. I can’t… I want to tell you, Kara, but I just…”

 

“Is this about what happened after Alex and Maggie’s party?” Kara asked. Her eyes were gentle but still concerned.

 

“Yes. Sort of. That, and issues surrounding that.”

 

“Okay,” Kara said. “What if I said that the alien alcohol is coming today, and that I should regain my memories once I drink it?”

 

“I’d say… that would be much easier,” Lena said, nodding. “But I’m being a coward. Just… when you remember, Kara. Don’t make any assumptions, please? About what it means, or what anyone feels, okay? Just come and talk to me, please?”

 

“I can do that,” Kara agreed. “It’s going to be fine, Lena. I promise.”

 

“Kara, I… you’re so important to me. Whatever happens, just… promise me you won’t leave?” Lena asked. She winced at how weak she sounded.

 

“I would never do that,” Kara said, softly. She kissed Lena’s head, and Lena relaxed, finding that she was held securely in Kara’s arms. Kara was sitting on the beach with Lena in her lap, and Kara’s arms were tight around her, keeping her body warm. “I’m going to take you home, okay?”

 

Lena nodded, and Kara lifted her, and, after checking that no-one was looking, used super-speed to get them both inside the house within seconds. She put the kettle on, wrapped Lena in a blanket, and started the fire blazing all in a matter of seconds before wrapping herself around Lena again.

 

“I’m sorry I pushed,” Kara said, kissing Lena’s forehead.

 

“I’m sorry I’m such a coward,” Lena said. “I… wish I could just… be honest.”

 

“It’s okay, Lee. Whatever it is, we’ll be okay. We’re stronger together, remember?” Kara said, her eyes intense.

 

“I hope you still feel that way when you remember,” Lena said, smiling at Kara. “I love you.”

 

“I love you,” Kara replied, pulling Lena a little closer and squeezing her. Lena relaxed into her hold. She couldn’t remember a time when she had felt safer.

 

They stayed there until Maggie, Alex and Eliza returned. The others didn’t ask what had happened; all of them had seen panic attacks before, and they knew that talking about it would be embarrassing for Lena. Lena was incredibly grateful for that fact.

 

They ate some more of Eliza’s delicious cooking before settling down to watch some more terrible movies. They were about to start watching a second one when Alex’s cellphone rang.

 

She exchanged serious looks with Kara, and Kara immediately moved from under Lena’s body, setting her down gently on the couch.

 

“You have to go, girls?” Eliza asked, her face falling.

 

“Cadmus have attacked a residential area where there are a lot of aliens. The DEO is fighting them but they have Hank Henshaw and another version of Metallo,” Alex said, seriously. She was pulling guns from various places, under the couch and the coffee table and from behind a picture.

 

“Have those been there the whole time?” Lena asked, eyes wide.

 

“Hey, don’t talk to me,” Alex said, shrugging. “These belong to Mom. Mine are all locked up in my safe in my apartment.”

 

Lena looked at Eliza with new respect. Eliza saluted her with another bottle of beer, winking.

 

“Be careful,” Lena said, grabbing Kara’s hand before she could speed off. “Stay away from Kryptonite, do you hear me? Because I can’t lose you.”

 

“You won’t,” Kara said, leaning down and resting her forehead against Lena’s. “I promise.”

 

Lena nodded, moving forward to press a tiny kiss to the corner of Kara’s mouth. It was as much courage as she could muster in that moment, but she was gratified to see Kara’s face redden. She moved back, touching her lips gently, and then she disappeared at super-speed, taking Alex with her.

 

“Shit,” Lena said, breathing out heavily.

 

“Yeah,” Maggie said, sitting down heavily on the chair opposite. “Loving a Danvers girl is hard.”

 

“You’re not wrong,” Eliza said. “Those two will be the death of me one day.”

 

They sat down in silence, letting the movie play on, and then the next, and when it got really late Eliza made some sandwiches and they sat, waiting. They all fell asleep sometime after midnight, and Lena woke when she found herself being gently carried up the stairs by someone who smelled of fire and gunpowder.

 

“Shh,” Kara said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Alex and I are fine. We had to fight a couple of tough guys but we got Hank Henshaw. He’s in containment at the DEO, and the new Metallo guy is at the metahuman prison. Your mom will be having a very bad Christmas.”

 

“Good,” Lena said, sleepily. “I’m glad you’re okay. If you died I would have to kill you.”

 

Kara chuckled.

 

“I promise you, I’m alive,” she said, smiling. Lena smiled back, and then they were in bed, spooned up again, Kara holding her tightly. She let herself relax, even though Kara smelled like a battlefield, because Kara was home and safe and that meant that Lena was home and safe, too. She drifted off to the sound of Kara humming, her fingers running through Lena’s hair.

 

The next day was sunny but cold, and Lena bundled herself up after slipping out of bed again, this time being accompanied on her walk by Eliza.

 

“You know Kara’s going to give you the Pout™ once she realises you’re a stress-smoker, don’t you?” Eliza said, smiling pleasantly as she looked up at the cold winter sun.

 

“Well, you seem to have resisted it thus far,” Lena said, amused. “So I’ll probably be okay.”

 

“You think so?” Eliza grinned, one eyebrow up.

 

“Hmm. We’ll see,” Lena said. She sat on the rock that was now their customary spot, passing Eliza one of her dwindling supply of cigarettes. She lit Eliza’s cigarette and then hers, closing her eyes and taking a drag as she listened to the waves. “If I lived here, I don’t think I’d ever leave.”

 

“You think that, now, but imagine it when there are no other people around. Just you, and work and then an empty house. The sea is beautiful, but it can’t take the place of family and friends.”

 

“Why don’t you move to National City?” Lena asked, turning to look at Eliza. “Are you still waiting for Jeremiah to come back?”

 

Eliza shook her head. “No. He burned that bridge when he stole the alien registry. Alex has probably forgiven him for his deception, but as far as I’m concerned, the man I loved died when I received notification from the DEO when the girls were young. I’m not interested in getting to know the man he’s become.”

 

“Sore subject, huh?” Lena asked, sympathetically.

 

“Not exactly,” Eliza clarified. “I don’t mind talking about it. The girls – they never do. I think they’re afraid of hurting my feelings, maybe? But knowing that he basically sold out all of the aliens on Earth to protect our girls, and that he thinks that was the way to go? I don’t know what to say, I’ll be honest. It would have killed me to lose Kara or Alex, believe me. I’ve come so, so close over the years, too. But to lose him and then to find out that he was actually behind some of the technology that nearly got Kara and Clark killed over the years? And Alex, because she’s always been on the opposite side to Cadmus. She could have died in any one of those skirmishes. From what I understand, Hank Henshaw almost killed you on a few occasions, too.”

 

“He did. Kara jumped in front of me once, when he threw the L from the L-Corp lobby at me. What a headline that would have made. ‘Luthor slain by own hubris.’ I would have paid to read that newspaper.” Lena laughed mirthlessly.

 

“I’ll bet finding out that Kara was Supergirl didn’t help with that crush,” Eliza said, smiling.

 

“It really didn’t. She stepped in front of me, and that cyborg threw a huge chunk of rock at me, and then she was just there, and it just… poof. Turned to dust, and she stood there, all fire and fury. I’m sorry if this is gross for you to hear, but it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Lena admitted, reddening.

 

“I can imagine,” Eliza said, grinning. “I had quite the crush on Superman back in the day. I know it’s inappropriate, because he’s over ten years younger than I am, despite still looking like a 25-year-old. But he’s just so… pretty, you know? And I’ve seen him lift a plane and a helicopter. And he reminded me of how Jeremiah looked when he was younger too.”

 

“Eliza Danvers, what a scandal!” Lena said, grinning delightedly. “I’m glad it’s not just me who enjoys the super strength thing.”

 

“It’s hard not to. I think sometimes we all have those moods where we like the idea,” Eliza said, winking.

 

“Aaaand that’s enough of that conversation,” Lena said, shuddering. “Thank you for destroying that particular fantasy before I even got to enjoy it…”

 

“Come on, now,” Eliza said, smirking. “I’m just a woman who, let’s face it, has been single for a long time. If I have a little fantasy every now and then, no-one can blame me.”

 

“I certainly don’t blame you,” Lena said, chuckling. “But I think I’ll leave any talk of how sexy I find Kara’s strength for Kara, or perhaps to horrify her friends.”

 

“Good,” Eliza said.

 

“What’s good?” Lena asked, puzzled.

 

“Good that you sound like you’re going to talk to her now, good that you’re contemplating horrifying your friends by talking about your fantasies.”

 

“We had a talk yesterday, and she promised she would talk to me when she remembered. And she held me all night. I think she’s probably gathered by now that something… of a non-platonic nature happened between us that night. She’s been even more cuddly than usual.”

 

“And that’s really saying something. She has barely left your side,” Eliza noted.

 

“I know. I… don’t want her to. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

 

Eliza smiled widely, finishing her cigarette. She stood, stubbing it out and wrapping it carefully in a wrapper from her pocket.

 

“It’s time to go feed a hungry Kryptonian,” she said, stretching.

 

“She’s always hungry,” Lena observed fondly.

 

“She is, but she’s also much worse when she’s been using her powers. So she’ll be ready to eat the house and all of its inhabitants unless I make something substantial.”

 

“I can’t imagine her being able to eat even more,” Lena observed.

 

“Watch and learn,” Eliza said, as they stepped through the gate and into the yard. She took out large amounts of bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, peppers and onions and starting slicing and dicing and frying at a furious rate. Lena watched her, wide-eyed, before joining in where she was directed. She managed to keep up with Eliza’s pace, and just in time, because Kara stumbled downstairs, still in her supersuit. Eliza held out a plate of sandwiches, and Kara grunted before attacking them.

 

“Lena dear, could you get her some coffee?” Eliza asked. Lena nodded, filling a huge mug and adding cream and sugar before putting it in front of Kara. She drained it in one, and Lena refilled it, astonished. Eliza really hadn’t been joking about Kara’s appetite after a fight.

 

“Are you okay?” she asked, a little timid.

 

“Hmmph,” Kara said, eyes closed, half a sandwich in her mouth. She chewed mechanically and swallowed, and then there was another chunk of sandwich in her mouth, and then another.

 

“Lena dear, would you give me a hand? She’s running low on food and she gets awfully grumpy if she doesn’t get enough to eat after a fight.”

 

Lena went to help Eliza, dishing out the food that was already cooked on a plate, stacking it all in a huge pile. She set the plate in front of Kara and watched in astonishment as it disappeared in seconds. Eliza filled another plate, putting it in front of Kara with impeccable timing just as she finished the first. Lena brought more coffee, and Eliza more food, until Kara was able to speak in short sentences.

 

“Are you okay darling?” Lena asked, again, taking Kara’s hand, the one that wasn’t holding her fork.

 

“M’fine,” Kara said. “Just tired.

 

“You can go back to bed, you know,” Lena told her, lifting Kara’s head with her finger.

 

“Will you come?” Kara asked, eyes pleading.

 

“Of course,” Lena said, smiling. “Anything for the champion of Earth.”

 

Kara blushed prettily and Lena grinned.

 

“Enjoy your rest, girls,” Eliza said, winking at Lena when she turned. Lena blushed, but carried on, allowing Kara to drag her upstairs by the hand.

 

Kara stripped, leaving only her underwear and sports bra on, and Lena looked away, giving Kara her privacy. She shed her own clothes, putting her very comfortable pyjamas back on, and then she found herself wrapped up in Kara once again. It was her favourite place, she couldn’t help but realise. In Kara’s arms, with Kara’s breath on the back of her neck.

 

“Can we talk later?” Kara asked, her voice weak, as if she was already drifting off.

 

“Of course,” Lena said, a little nervous. “I’m always here for you.”

 

“I love you,” Kara said, and then she was snoring. Lena joined her soon after, and it was lunchtime when Alex knocked on the door to wake them.

 

“Come on, SuperCorp. Time for lunch.”

 

Kara stretched, smiling as Lena looked at her, eyes blinking slowly.

 

“You look so beautiful when you’ve just woken up,” Kara said, and Lena could have sworn that the look on her face was just… adoration, plain and simple.

 

“You’re one to talk, alien goddess,” she said, smiling nervously. “You’re the most beautiful thing on this planet.”

 

“No, that’s just not true,” Kara said, shaking her head. “I’ve been to 12 other worlds, not including Krypton, and you are the most beautiful thing I’ve seen on any of those worlds, Lena Luthor.”

 

Lena blushed, knowing that it was the kind of full-body blush that she wouldn’t be able to stop, and she looked away, biting her lip.

 

“Don’t look away,” Kara said, gently. She tipped Lena’s chin up and looked at her intently. “I only say things that I mean.”

 

“You’re pretty charming when you want to be, Kara Zor-El,” she said, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth.

 

“It’s not my fault – you are stunning. It makes me understand why people write poetry,” Kara said quietly, her hand still on Lena’s chin.

 

“Girls, Alex is threatening to eat the chocolate pecan pie if you don’t hurry,” Eliza’s voice drifted up the stairs, and Kara leapt up as if she’d been set on fire.

 

“Rao, she had better not,” she muttered, spinning into her clothes and leaving a dazed Lena sitting on the bed, wide-eyed.

 

After a moment, Lena chuckled, and quickly changed before heading downstairs. Lunch was more turkey sandwiches, but spiced with something Lena hadn’t tried before. Eliza said it was her secret recipe, winking, so Lena just enjoyed. After lunch Kara asked Lena if they could go for a walk on the beach together. Lena nodded silently, ignoring the huge wink that Eliza sent her way. Kara shot around the house gathering coats and boots. Lena put on an extra layer of clothes and followed Kara to the back door of the house and down onto the beach, where Kara took her hand, leading her down to the edge of the surf.

 

“So, you got Hank Henshaw and Metallo in one night, huh?” Lena asked, smiling.

 

“I did,” Kara said. “I should probably say that it was a team effort, but honestly, the DEO didn’t really help with those two. They were busy taking down the Cadmus agents, and they left me to deal with the others. Thankfully I knew to take out Metallo’s power source,” she said, tapping her chest. “Your mother clearly didn’t get round to setting up a backup system.”

 

“She’s more about the attacking than the follow-up,” Lena said wryly. “She usually thinks things through a little better, though.”

 

“I think I was a little more motivated than normal,” Kara said, giving Lena a sidelong look. “Those two have been a thorn in my side for too long. And I wanted to keep you safe.”

 

“Are you telling me that you captured two of my mother’s overpowered goons in one night because you wanted me to be safe, Kara Danvers?” Lena asked, looking up at Kara through her eyelashes.

 

“Yes,” Kara said, her face serious. “I am.”

 

“You’re something else, do you know that?” Lena said, smiling softly.

 

“I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt,” Kara said.

 

“I’m fine, Kara,” Lena said, in a quiet voice.

 

“I know. And I want it to stay that way,” Kara said, looking out at the sea. “So, do you like it here as much as I do?”

 

“I really do,” Lena said, nodding. “It’s so quiet and soothing.”

 

“It makes me feel almost at home,” Kara said, her eyes far away. “The oceans on Krypton were dead, but they still moved. The sound was the same. Even if the water was toxic.”

 

“You’ll have to tell me more about it one day,” Lena said.

 

“I will,” Kara said. “I want you to know everything about me.”

 

Lena’s heart thumped, hard, in her chest.

 

“Why?” she asked, blurting the question out.

 

“Why not?” Kara countered, smiling.

 

They continued to walk for a while in silence. Lena noticed that there were a few other people walking further down the beach, some coming towards them and others walking away.

 

“Do you remember your mother?” Kara asked, out of nowhere.

 

“No,” Lena said. “Or not exactly. Some things, like… scents. Or a song. Those things can take me back, but it’s all very vague. I remember feeling loved, and that’s not something that I… that’s not something I have felt much of, since then. So that I do remember. But her face, her voice? No.”

 

“I sometimes wonder if that would be easier,” Kara said. “I remember everything about my mother. Her voice, her perfume, the way she smiled. There’s this… it’s like a hologram, I guess, which has my mother’s knowledge and memories. But it’s not her. It’s like watching a robot version.”

 

“I get why that would be worse, in some ways,” Lena said, carefully. “But it must be nice to know that she cared enough to send that with you.”

 

“It would be nice if she had never sent me away in the first place,” Kara said, wearily. “I wouldn’t have had to grow up on this strange planet and try to fit in. I wouldn’t have had to lose so much. I would have been at peace in Rao’s light.”

 

“Is that what you believe?” Lena asked, delicately. “I don’t really believe in a god, but it seems to be a strong belief for you.”

 

Kara stopped walking, turning to look out to sea.

 

“It is a strong belief. It’s a comfort, to think that my family are there, together and content, with our god watching over them. My planet might be gone but Rao, our sun, is still there. So I still… I can look up and see him.”

 

“You can see Rao in the night sky?” Lena asked.

 

“I can see him right now. I can see a long way, and it’s just a certain way of looking at things. I can see through the atmosphere.”

 

Kara pointed upwards, to where a huge cloud was moving slowly across the sky.

 

“He’s there, still burning. He’ll burn for a long time, and that… it’s a comfort.”

 

“I’m glad,” Lena said. She took her hand from Kara’s, slipping her arm around Kara’s waist instead. “I’m really glad you have that.”

 

“Me too,” Kara said. She leaned to one side, putting her head on Lena’s shoulder. Lena pulled her a little closer, and Kara’s arm went around her waist, too.

 

“Well, aren’t you two just the prettiest picture,” a voice said, behind them. Lena turned to look. It was Vickie Donaghue, seemingly out walking alone on the beach.

 

“Hey, Vickie,” Kara said, looking at her quizzically. “What brings you down this way?”

 

“I was a little bored. I needed to get out of the house for a while. Kids were driving me crazy.”

 

Lena looked at the woman. She was really very pretty, with beautiful brown hair and startling blue eyes. But something about her demeanour was… off.

 

“That must be nice though, having a houseful of them,” Kara said, brightly.

 

“You want them? They’re yours,” Vickie said sourly.

 

Lena smiled politely, as if it were a joke. It clearly wasn’t.

 

“Where’s your sister and her lesbian lover, today?” Vickie asked, smiling. Her smile looked a little… feral.

 

“They’re watching Hallmark movies,” Kara said. “Alex pretends to hate them but she’s a total sap now that she’s found love.”

 

“I’m sure,” Vickie said, sarcastically. Kara blinked, clearly not sure what to say.

 

“You know, I heard that you and Alex were close, once,” Lena said, looking at Vickie pointedly. “I’m sure you must be delighted to see her so happy.”

 

“Of course,” Vickie said quietly, looking a little chastened. “Of course. That’s all I ever wanted for Alex.”

 

“She deserves the best,” Lena said. “Maggie’s so… courageous, you know? Her parents threw her out of her own home because she was gay, but she’s still here, still being her true self, you know? It’s… admirable.”

 

Vickie shifted uncomfortably.

 

“Of course. She sounds… amazing.”

 

It sounded as if it pained her to hear it. She nodded at Kara and Lena.

 

“You two make a lovely couple. I wish you every happiness,” Vickie said, swallowing and then wandering further down the beach, hands in her pockets, head down.

 

“What was that all about?” Kara asked, quietly.

 

“She’s jealous, Kara,” Lena said, patiently. “She wanted Alex for herself but she wasn’t brave enough to admit it back then. She married the guy she was supposed to and had children and now she’s heartbroken because Alex is here with a beautiful woman.”

 

“Oh,” Kara said, eyebrows rising. “I… I had no idea that she felt that way. I mean, Alex told me that she had feelings for Vickie, when she came out to me, but I didn’t… I never thought it was reciprocated.”

 

“Sometimes we don’t see things that are right in front of our faces,” Lena said.

 

Kara looked at her, troubled.

 

“Yeah. I… I think I’m beginning to understand that,” she said, pulling Lena a little bit closer. They walked on, arms around each other’s waists, and a sense of peace settled over them. The rest of their walk was silent, but Lena had never felt so content. Kara being with her like this… it made something in her, something that barely ever stopped moving, thinking, analysing… it made it stop. She was there, in that moment, listening to the crashing of the waves, the sounds of sea birds, and feeling Kara’s breathing making her abdomen move up and down, rhythmically. It was the most perfect moment she had ever had.

 

They returned to Eliza’s in that perfect silence, sharing shy smiles and soft touches. Eliza grinned at Lena when they came and sat down in the living room, where Alex and Maggie were watching yet another Hallmark Christmas movie. This time it was about a puppy, and Christmas, and… well, Lena wasn’t sure what it was actually supposed to be about, because it was total rubbish. But she sat there, Kara’s arm around her, her face against Kara’s shoulder. The movie was terrible but being there with Kara’s family meant everything to Lena.

 

Another Christmas movie later, and Kara stood, stretching exaggeratedly.

 

“I don’t suppose you would like to go somewhere to eat? Just the two of us?” she asked, looking at Lena nervously.

 

“Of course, Kara. Anything you want,” Lena said. “Is there some food you wanted me to try out?”

 

“No, or… well, yes, but… I just thought it would be nice if we had a meal together,” Kara said, rubbing at the back of her neck, her face red.

 

“That sounds lovely,” Lena said, smiling. “Should I change?”

 

“You look beautiful,” Kara said. “But it’s a little bit fancy, so… maybe?”

 

Lena smiled at her.

 

“Okay, darling,” she said. Kara blushed. As Lena moved past her, she saw Maggie and Alex both giving her the thumbs up. She shook her head, grinning, and headed upstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a good one. Only one or two chapters to go. Thanks for all your comments, and apologies that I can't reply.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara spend a couple of days together, and come to an understanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so late - I had planned for it to be done before the New Year, but then life happened. On the plus side, I have almost finished, so there should just be one chapter and a possible epilogue to go. Thank you all for reading, and to GaneWhoo, since this is for you, Happy New Year. :)

* * *

 

About ten minutes after Kara invited her for dinner, Lena walked downstairs, her hair loose around her shoulders. She was wearing a green dress, nothing too fancy, but suitable for anything from a day as a CEO to a dinner with investors. She knew it brought out her eyes, and she hoped Kara would like it.

 

Kara did. Her eyes went wide, and she stammered and blushed as Lena walked towards her. She, too, was dressed up, in a dark grey shirt with a brown suede waistcoat and tight black trousers. She looked beautiful, and sexy, and Lena had to hold back a gasp at the sight of her.

 

“You look stunning, Lena,” Kara said, eventually.

 

“You too,” Lena said. “I love the waistcoat. Or… you guys call it a vest, right?”

 

“Yes. But I think I like that better,” Kara said. “Waistcoat.”

 

Lena grinned.

 

“Shall we, my lady?” Kara asked, holding out her arm chivalrously.

 

“Let’s,” Lena agreed.

 

Eliza and Maggie and Alex appeared as if from nowhere, waving them off, all wearing matching grins.

 

Lena shook her head at the ridiculous display.

 

“Enjoy your night, girls,” Eliza said, waggling her eyebrows at Lena comically.

 

The restaurant wasn’t in Midvale, but in the next town along. Kara drove them there, tapping her fingers on the wheel as they travelled. She was clearly nervous about something, but Lena left her to her thoughts. She was feeling a little nervous herself. Something about this night was different.

 

The restaurant was pretty. It was Italian, and most of the patrons were couples. Only a few families were there, and the children were older, so it was a quiet and pleasant atmosphere.

 

“This is a really nice place,” Lena said, smiling nervously.

 

“I’m sure it’s nothing like as fancy as you’re used to,” Kara said, mumbling.

 

“It doesn’t have to be fancy to be a nice place,” Lena said. “You’ve taken me to some really lovely places since we met, Kara, and few of them were what you might call fancy. Fancy means nothing to me. I know it’s all fake.”

 

Kara gazed at her in a way that Lena could only describe as ‘adoring’. It made her heart thump in her chest, and Kara smiled at her, taking her hand across the table and running her thumb across Kara’s knuckles. It wasn’t the first time Kara had done that, but it never failed to make Lena melt.

 

The waiter came along then, a young, obviously gay man, and he smiled and winked as he saw their hands entwined across the table. A few minutes later, a bottle of prosecco that they hadn’t ordered arrived, along with the drinks Kara and Lena had ordered, and when they looked at him in confusion, he winked again.

 

“Family has to look after each other,” he said, before moving off to another table.

 

“What did he mean?” Kara whispered, when the waiter was out of earshot.

 

“It means… family is what queer people call each other,” Lena explained. “He thought we were… a couple.”

 

Kara blushed, her cheeks rosy red, but she didn’t take her hand from Lena’s. Lena smiled at her, eyes wide with wonder. Was this really headed where she thought it was?

 

“I… um, I know we haven’t exactly talked about this, but Maggie got a delivery this morning, of the Memory Thief from Darla. I… I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I didn’t drink it, at least not yet,” Kara said, playing with the stem of her wine glass.

 

“Of course I don’t mind,” Lena said, tilting her head. “But… why? Don’t you want to get your memories back?”

 

“I do,” Kara said quietly. “But I think… I’d like to just enjoy this time with you, now. Maybe see how… what might happen, even without those memories. Does that sound… does it sound okay to you, if we spend the next few days together, and I promise to drink as much of the Memory Thief as it takes on New Year’s Eve?”

 

“Of course, darling,” Lena said, squeezing Kara’s hand. “I love any time I get to spend with you, Kara. You know that.”

 

“Great,” Kara said, smiling broadly, clearly relaxing. They smiled at each other, Lena’s cheeks beginning to ache, but she didn’t care in the least. She was too busy drinking Kara in, revelling in the small touches they were sharing and the electric atmosphere.

 

Kara had, as usual, ordered half the menu. Lena stuck with a small, 80’s-style prawn cocktail starter and a lasagne for main. It was one of her weaknesses. The decadence of it, the huge amounts of cheese and meat and other relatively fattening ingredients – it made the occasion into a celebration, for her, knowing that it was what a lot of Italians had at Christmas and Easter.

 

They talked about small things for a while, about silly tricks that Kara had played on James at work, or how their friend Sam Arias was totally into Alex, but was pining because Alex was so happy with Maggie.

 

Kara attacked her food with gusto, but she made an obvious effort to keep touching Lena, moving her place setting 90° so that she could touch Lena’s leg with hers or her hand could graze Lena’s as they moved.

 

Lena ate her food delicately, unable even now to eat with the abandon that Kara did. Some things were engrained in her so deeply from her time with the Luthor’s that she was completely incapable of letting them go.

 

“This is amazing,” Kara said, smiling in obvious delight. She was shovelling mouthfuls of pasta and breaded chicken and various melted cheeses into her mouth at an alarming rate.

 

“It really is delicious. Did you come here a lot, when you lived here?” Lena asked.

 

“I did,” Kara confirmed, after swallowing a huge mouthful. “I tried to get Alex to go with me more often, but she would only agree to go once every two weeks.”

 

“Humans, huh?” Lena said, grinning.

 

“I know! How can she not be more invested in food?” Kara asked, bewildered.

 

“I don’t think that any human enjoys their food half as much as you do, sweetie,” Lena said, grinning.

 

Kara blushed.

 

“Did you like that? When I called you sweetie?” Lena asked, smirking.

 

Kara nodded, reddening even more.

 

“I’ll make sure to do it more often, then,” Lena said, reaching out to wipe a bit of tomato sauce from Kara’s top lip. She paused as she did so, staring into Kara’s startled eyes, her heart starting to thump in her chest again. She took her hand away slowly, licking the sauce from her thumb absently while still enthralled by Kara’s gaze. Was Kara moving closer? Was this really happening? She fought the urge to pinch herself.

 

“Can I get you ladies some dessert?” their waiter asked, with the worst of bad timing. Lena took a breath, not looking away from Kara for a long moment.

 

“I think we’d like to see the menu,” she said, turning to smile at the waiter. He winked again, and disappeared only to re-appear with the dessert menu a second later. Lena smiled at him again, resisting the urge to strangle him for ruining the moment.

 

Kara chose three desserts, which Lena thought was restrained on her part, until Kara whispered that Eliza had made several chocolate pecan pies earlier.

 

“And it is the best dessert in the galaxy,” Lena said, teasing.

 

“And I would know,” Kara said, sincerely. “I’ve been to twelve planets!”

 

“And I am terribly envious of that, sweetie,” Lena said, just to watch Kara blush. Lena ordered a small tiramisu for herself and an espresso with a shot of sambuca, one of her favourite things. Kara ordered a milkshake on the side, and when it arrived it was huge, thick with chocolate sauce and what looked like… honeycomb, perhaps?

 

Kara ate as she normally did, with gusto. Lena watched her with undisguised fascination. Kara was such a walking contradiction. She was the last true Kryptonian, since Kal knew only what he’d been taught about his culture. Kara had lived it. She was the last, she had watched her world explode, lived through 24 years in the nothingness of the Phantom Zone, and had lost so much even after coming to earth – her stepfather, her friend at school who was murdered, her aunt, to name but a few. Somehow, she remained incredibly upbeat; she poured her heart and soul into everything, and wrung every drop of pleasure from everything. Lena started to blush at that thought, because Kara really had wrung every drop of pleasure from Lena on the night they had spent together.

 

“Why are you blushing?” Kara asked, touching Lena’s face gently.

 

“I was just thinking about how amazing you are,” Lena said, without thinking. She didn’t mention the sex part of her thought. That wasn’t the important part. Kara _was_ amazing.

 

It was Kara who blushed then, and she was so pretty that Lena stared, again.

 

“You’re amazing too, you know. I admire you more than anyone, except maybe Alex,” Kara said, looking at her sincerely.

 

“Thank you,” Lena breathed.

 

“So the feeling is mutual, then?” Kara asked.

 

“Entirely,” Lena said. Kara scooched her chair a little closer and put her hand on Lena’s thigh, stroking gently. Lena suddenly found it hard to breathe normally, because the last time Kara had stroked her thighs like that… she had her head buried between Lena’s legs. Lena closed her eyes and took a deep breath before throwing back the shot of espresso and sambuca in one go.

 

Kara stole small glances at her as they finished their desserts. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, just… loaded. Lena felt like things were paused, and when they pressed ‘play’ again, it was going to get interesting.

 

Kara insisted on paying for their meal, leaving a generous tip for their waiter, since he was ‘family’. She grinned when she said that, and he grinned back.

 

When they stepped outside, Kara asked Lena, in an exaggeratedly casual way, if she wanted to take a walk on the beach, which was right behind the restaurant.

 

“Sure,” Lena agreed.

 

Kara took her hand as they started walking, intertwining their fingers. It was decidedly not the hand-holding that friends did. Kara’s fingertips were brushing hers and Lena was ready to jump out of her skin with want.

 

“So, things have been a little… different, with us, lately,” Kara said, her other hand rubbing at the back of her neck as they walked along the moonlit sand.

 

Lena hummed in agreement.

 

“Are you… comfortable, with the way things have been?” Kara asked.

 

“I suppose that depends on what exactly you’re talking about,” Lena said, hedging a little.

 

Kara stopped, turning to look at the ocean. Lena turned with her.

 

“I feel like… I didn’t realise that what I was feeling wasn’t what people normally feel, about their friends,” Kara began, her eyes far away. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a friend, someone who I could be completely myself with. I’ve always had to hide so much of myself, in case someone worked out that I was… different. So I guess I’m not great at figuring stuff out. But Lena, I know that I… I have feelings for you, that go… way beyond, just friends,” Kara said, turning to look at Lena. The moon reflected in her glasses, and Lena was both speechless and mesmerised.

 

“You do?” she asked, after a moment of staring at Kara with her mouth open.

 

“I do,” Kara said, looking terrified. “I know that something happened when we were drunk, Lena. I wish I knew what. But on the other hand, I don’t want to know, because I want to kiss you so bad right now, and I want that kiss to be our first.”

 

“It will be,” Lena said, breathlessly. “The first where we’re both present and not under the influence of mind-altering alien beverages.”

 

Kara looked at her intently, her pupils dilating, and then she did what Lena had been praying she was about to do. She kissed Lena, first of all softly, and then not softly at all. She pulled Lena close, and Lena put her arms around Kara’s neck, and they kissed, slow and deep, their tongues exploring each other’s mouths, Lena’s hands tightening in Kara’s hair. She breathed steadily through her nose, and she felt Kara do the same, and they kissed for what felt like a really long time, losing themselves in each other. It was one of the best moments of Lena’s life so far, and she soon stopped thinking, her mind and body lost in Kara. Kara, who pulled Lena close, as close as she could.

 

“I think we should maybe stop,” Kara said, reluctantly, after an immeasurable length of time. She stayed intertwined with Lena, though, her forehead resting on Lena’s.

 

“You don’t seem like you really want to,” Lena noted, before putting her head on Kara’s shoulder.

 

“I don’t,” Kara admitted, kissing the top of Lena’s head. “But I don’t want to move too fast. I want to enjoy every second of this.”

 

Lena almost snorted at that, given that the first time they had kissed, they’d slept together. But Kara didn’t know that, and so she said nothing, just snuggling into Kara’s shoulder more fully.

 

“I think I’m in love with you,” Kara said.

 

Lena gasped.

 

“You… are you serious?” she asked, looking up into Kara’s eyes.

 

“Well, I did say ‘I think’, which would indicate some uncertainty,” Kara said, smiling. “But I’m pretty sure that’s what it is. I thought I was in love with James, and then with Mon-El, but this is… it’s so different. It’s just… more. So I can only think that it’s what real love feels like. I want to give you the world, Lena. I want to take you out into space and show you all the incredible sights my aunt showed me, or my mother. Before interstellar travel was banned, we went to so many unbelievably beautiful places. Jewel gardens, places where diamonds fall like rain, where the rivers run gold. So many things are possible that humans have never considered, or think is science fiction. But it’s not. I would love to see you in the jewel gardens, Lena. You would outshine them all.”

 

A sob caught in Lena’s throat, and she leaned up a little to kiss Kara fervently, her hands once again losing themselves in Kara’s soft hair. They ended up backing up into a tall stone, Kara pressing Lena into it, but when Lena felt her hips begin to move forward, she pulled away.

 

“If it’s not already embarrassingly clear, I have been in love with you for a long time, Kara Zor-El,” lena said, her eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy right now that I don’t even know what to say.”

 

“Then don’t say anything,” Kara suggested, beaming. She pinned Lena to the huge rock again, her tongue twisting around Lena’s, her hands roaming up and down Lena’s spine. Lena was beginning to become ridiculously aroused, and she pulled away again with difficulty, panting.

 

“If you don’t want our… first time, to be against a rock on the beach, you had better stop doing that,” Lena said, breathlessly.

 

“Oh,” Kara said, her cheeks reddening. “No, I… I don’t want that. Not for such an important step in our relationship.”

 

“Good,” Lena said, leaning up to peck Kara on the lips. “Then I think it’s time you took me home, darling.”

 

Kara nodded, wide-eyed, and they turned back. They found their car and drove back to Midvale in silence, Lena taking Kara’s hand as soon as they left. It was distracting, her proximity, her scent, her delicate, soft touch. Especially when Lena knew that steel lay underneath that satiny skin.

 

They reached Midvale quickly, there being little to no traffic on the roads at that time during the holidays. After Kara stopped to eat a (full) chocolate pecan pie, they crept upstairs, finding that Alex, Maggie and Eliza were already in bed. They changed in separate rooms and met again in the bedroom, slipping under the comforter and wrapping themselves up together. This time, however, the air was charged between them. Every tiny touch felt like a caress, and Kara’s unusually hot body temperature made Lena feel flushed and a little dizzy.

 

“Is this okay?” Kara asked, her breath in Lena’s ear. It was driving her crazy, and all she wanted was to make love to Kara right there and then, to take and be taken, to let Kara know her body in the way she already did, but couldn’t remember.

 

Instead, she whispered a quiet affirmation and nuzzled her head into Kara’s shoulder, sighing. Only one more day, and then Kara was going to drink the Memory Thief, and they could start being completely honest with each other.

 

***

 

The next day was a dream come to life, for Lena. Kara woke, kissing her hand, before disappearing off to shower at super-speed. Lena showered right after, and they had breakfast with the other ladies. Then Kara asked if Lena would like to go with her, to fly. Lena agreed, giddily. Flying in a helicopter or a plane was one thing, but to fly in Kara’s arms? That would be something to behold.

 

Kara picked up a picnic basket, of all things, before lifting Lena into her arms. She took off, flying low, her fingertips skimming the water, and when they were out of sight of land, she gained some height. Lena gasped as they saw the shadows of huge whales deep under the waves, and dolphins and seals frolicking on the surface.

 

“It’s so beautiful,” Lena said, whispering.

 

“It’s the best thing about living here on Earth, for me,” Kara said, wind whipping her hair back out of her face. “I couldn’t fly at home, unless I used the yellow sun chamber, and then it was only for a short while. But here, on Earth, I just get stronger every single day. The sun fills my cells with strength and some days it’s hard to keep my feet on the ground at all. But seeing things from up here, it’s almost like Rao is giving me something back, as an apology for losing everything I ever loved.”

 

“I love you so much, Kara,” Lena breathed, and Kara bent down to kiss her softly.

 

“In case you’re at all interested, I consider you Rao’s reward, too. I always did. Even before I realised what you really meant to me,” Kara said, smiling down at her. Lena’s heart flipped over. If anything ever happened to Kara, she was going to be lost, she realised. Destroyed. She would never recover. She prayed to this god of Kara’s, Rao, that he would keep his last daughter safe.

 

Kara landed on a deserted island a little while later, out of sight of any land. The island was tropical, and Lena didn’t dare to think where they actually were in the world. Kara’s speed in flight was… dizzying.

 

Kara, as usual, had made sure that they had plenty to eat. She had brought lasagne, which Lena thought was an odd choice until Kara began to warm it up with her heat vision. She then blew out a short blast of freeze breath, and passed Lena a perfectly chilled glass of champagne. Lena had never envisioned herself as the princess type, but if she had been, this would be her perfect fantasy. To be carried in strong arms, fed delicious food and champagne on a deserted tropical island. It was the ultimate in romance. Kara fed her strawberries, somewhat nervously, dipped in hot chocolate fondue, and they kissed a little, breath mingling in the heat of the island. They slept on the blanket on the beach for a little while, before Kara woke Lena for the flight back. They made it in a short time, long enough that they had time to nap on the couch before the second part of Kara’s plan for the day.

 

Lena dressed up a little, as per Kara’s insistence, in a tight red dress, her hair swept to one side. She emphasised her eyes with dark makeup, knowing it made her eyes pop.

 

When she stepped down the stairs, she found Kara waiting with a single rose in her hands. She was wearing a tight dress, too, hers in a silvery grey. It clung to her, and it looked amazing.

 

“Hey,” Kara said, smiling broadly. “You look… so beautiful.”

 

“And you look… like that,” Lena said, gesticulating vaguely with her mouth hanging open. The dress wasn’t low-cut, but it showed Kara’s strong arms to perfection.

 

“Um… is that a good thing?” Kara asked, her eyes wide in confusion.

 

“It is,” Lena said, nodding vigorously. “It really, really is.”

 

Kara smiled, suddenly looking relaxed. She handed the single, deep-red rose to Lena.

  
“Are you ready?” she asked.

 

“I would go anywhere with you,” Lena said, honestly.

 

“Aw, you guys are killing me,” Maggie said, from the living room. She sauntered in to the hallway, dressed in a suit, for some reason.

 

“Maggie? What are you…”

 

“I’m gonna be your chauffeur for the night,” Maggie said, grinning. “Or rather, we are.”

 

Alex stepped up behind her, also in a suit, and she grinned.

  
“And we will definitely not be finding somewhere to park and eat strawberries and drink champagne in the back of the limo we just hired,” she said, smirking down at Maggie. “In various states of undress, I might add.”

 

“Ew,” Kara said, screwing her eyes closed. “Ew, and ew. That’s just… ew.”

 

“Like you wouldn’t be doing that right now if you weren’t ‘wooing’ Lena,” Maggie said, in the loudest stage whisper known to humankind. And alienkind.

 

“I _can_ hear you,” Lena said, pursing her lips.

 

“I know,” Maggie said, sticking her tongue out childishly.

 

Lena sighed, but let Kara pull her along. Outside there was a very trashy-looking pink limo, and it was an effort not to roll her eyes.

 

“I know it’s really tacky, but Eliza knows the owners and they gave us this limo for a really big discount,” Kara whispered, her breath tickling at Lena’s ear.

 

“It’s great, Kara,” Lena said, honestly. Because Kara had done this for her, and even if it was a little high-school dance-ish, it was sweet and exuberant and silly, just like Kara.

 

A giggling Maggie and Alex drove them to a restaurant that bore the legend ‘Pitchers and Pianos’ and had a blazing pink neon piano on the outside. Despite the eye-watering sign, it made Lena smile, because Kara pulled her from the car enthusiastically, her grin so wide it must have hurt.

 

“See you two lovebirds later,” Maggie yelled out of the window, as the limo tore out of the parking lot.

 

“Your sister knows how to pick them, doesn’t she?” Lena murmured.

 

“She really does. Maggie’s so good for her,” Kara said, turning to watch the pink limo speed off into the distance. “She makes her so happy.”

 

Lena looked up at her, smiling, and Kara took her arm, pulling her onwards and into the building.

 

The menu wasn’t sophisticated, but the girl behind the piano played really well, and her voice was sweet and sultry.

 

“Do they ever take requests?” Lena asked, as she settled in with a surprisingly nice glass of merlot.

 

“They do. But I have something planned, so, no requests just yet, okay?” Kara asked, smiling.

 

“Of course,” Lena said, saluting with her wine glass. They ate in silence, eating and enjoying the music. Afterwards, they turned their chairs around to be able to watch the pianist singing, their fingers intertwined, drinking a delicious wine and enjoying the show.

 

A little later, the woman left the stage, and was replaced by a tall, skinny man.

 

“That’s my friend Barry!” Kara confided, wriggling in her chair, clearly excited.

 

“Isn’t he from a different dimension?” Lena asked, confused.

 

“A parallel Earth, yes,” Kara said. “He wanted to come visit our Earth with his new wife, and he agreed to come play some songs here tonight.”

 

“So this is what you had planned?” Lena asked, one eyebrow up.

 

“Yeah,” Kara said, shrugging into herself and looking up at Lena bashfully.

 

“You, Kara Danvers, are a delight. Are you going up there now?”

 

Kara nodded, her eyes wide and bright.

 

“Off you go then, darling,” Lena said, fondly. As Kara went to get up, she pulled her down for a quick kiss. “Knock ‘em dead, Supergirl,” she whispered.

 

Kara was blushing, her fingers touching her lips gingerly.

 

“It’s for you, okay?” she said, eyes burning with sincerity. “It’s all for you, every word.”

 

Lena nodded, and it was her turn to blush, then.

 

Kara and her friend Barry sang a few songs, the first being “No Ordinary Love,” clearly in the style of You+Me, and every single note made Lena’s hair stand on end. Barry’s voice was beautiful, his piano playing was more than adequate, and the guitarist accompanying them was also very talented. Kara was wonderful, her eyes only on Lena, the whole time. Then they sang “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” by the Mamas and the Papas, and lastly they sang a song that Lena had never heard before, with a repeated chorus of “Runnin’ home to you.” It was beautiful, and Kara and Barry’s voices blended so perfectly that it made Lena’s heart soar even as tears ran down her face. Kara took a bow and then came back to their table, her eyes on Lena’s.

 

“You better get me out of her, Zor-El, before I do something extremely indecent,” Lena said, tears still running down her face. They kissed soundly, the people around them cheering, and then they left, finding Maggie and Alex waiting for them in the pink limo that taste forgot. The sight of it made Lena grin, though, and she and Kara made out jubilantly and sloppily as Maggie drove them home, singing at the top of her voice along with the radio, Alex providing the harmony. Lena paid little attention to either of them, though, because she had her focus entirely on Kara. If Kara herself hadn’t had much more self-control than Lena, they could easily have ended up having their ‘first’ time right there and then. Mercifully, Kara was able to pull them both back from the brink with some of that steel will of hers, and they spent the remainder of the journey in each other’s arms.

 

As she was falling asleep in Kara’s arms, Lena thought that it was, perhaps, the best day of her life.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Alex get called in to deal with a Cadmus threat, and stuff goes a little wrong before it goes really, really right.

* * *

Kara woke up with Lena’s hair tickling at her nostrils. It was thick but soft and delicate. Kara ran her fingers through it slowly. Ever since she met Lena, she had wanted to do that. Run her fingers through Lena’s hair, feel how her skin felt under Kara’s fingertips. It should have tipped her off earlier – she really _wasn’t_ as blind as people seemed to think. But she had little to no experience with female friendships. Other than Cat Grant, and Alex’s female friends from Midvale, she’d never had close female friends before. And Alex herself was… well, she was Kara’s whole world, so the normal rules didn’t apply. With so little experience, she’d never thought that her feelings for Lena might not be platonic. She’d definitely been affected by Earth’s heteronormative society, she could see that now. She couldn’t really understand how she could look at Lena’s face and not realise how much she wanted to kiss her, to touch the softness of her skin to… she blushed as she thought about the other things she wanted to do. Things she’d never really imagined. Sex wasn’t really much of a thing on Krypton. Children were born in pods, and sex wasn’t necessary. It wasn’t much of a wonder that Kara knew little of it.

 

“Hey,” Lena said, startling Kara, who had been too deep in thought to notice her stirring. Her fingers were buried in Lena’s hair, and she blushed, trying to remove her hands without making it obvious.

 

“Don’t,” Lena said, lifting a hand to keep Kara’s hands where they were. “It feels nice.”

 

“Okay,” Kara said, continuing to run her fingers through Lena’s hair, scratching at her scalp and drawing patterns on it with her short fingernails.

 

“Mmm, that is lovely,” Lena said, closing her eyes again, tipping her head back a little. Her throat was right there, then, and it showed stark white against the dark pyjamas she was wearing. Kara found herself unable to resist the urge to lean across and kiss it. And then kiss it again. And then bite and lick at the warmth she found, at Lena’s pulse point. It was only when Lena started to make small noises in her throat that Kara realised her own pulse was increasing, her breath coming faster. She was… oh, Rao… She was aroused. So, so aroused. Like she’d only ever felt with Lena.

 

“Are you okay, darling?” Lena asked, her voice low and husky.

 

“I’m fine,” Kara said, trying for a smile. She didn’t know how to handle feeling like this. The night before had been almost too much, with the kissing in the limo and the wandering hands. It was all so overwhelming and all she wanted to do was lose herself in Lena’s body. They’d only had two official dates, and they had only kissed for the first time two nights before. Or, at least, for the first time that Kara could remember. She had a feeling that they had kissed, at the very least, on the night she couldn’t remember. Part of her wanted to forget it had ever happened, whatever it was, so they could start again, fresh. But that only worked if Lena forgot it, too.

 

“It’s okay to be turned on, Kara. I am,” Lena said, in her husky voice. Kara nearly combusted right there and then.

 

“I know. I’m just… I’m not used to feeling like this. It’s overwhelming,” Kara said, voice trembling.

 

“Did you not… have you never felt like this before?” Lena asked, touching Kara’s face gently, her eyes soft as she focused on Kara.

 

“Kind of?” Kara said, taking one hand from Lena’s hair to rub at the back of her neck. “But nothing like as strong.”

 

“Not even when you were… intimate?” Lena asked, eyes widening.

 

Kara blushed, putting her hand over her eyes momentarily.

 

Lena gently pulled her hand from her eyes, pulling it close and kissing it, once.

 

“I’m sorry you haven’t had a great experience with sex before, Kara. But there’s no rush, with any of this. I promise. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for,” Lena said sincerely.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to, Lee. I want it more than I can even… it’s just a lot. You know I struggle sometimes with my senses being so strong? Sometimes it completely overwhelms me. I just want you to be safe.”

 

“I trust you, Kara,” Lena said, looking into her eyes. “I trust you with my life.”

 

Kara was overwhelmed, this time by Lena’s trust in her. She leaned forward and kissed Lena, not thinking at all, and Lena opened her mouth to Kara, flicking her tongue against Kara’s, and suddenly Kara’s heart was thumping again. She wanted nothing more than to see Lena come undone, to see if she was as beautiful doing that as she was doing everything else.

 

“Kara,” Lena said, pulling away, panting. “If you don’t want to do this right now – if you’re not ready – we should stop. Because I’m already losing control. I want you so much.”

 

“I want you too,” Kara said, her voice deeper than normal. “But you’re right. We shouldn’t do this now.”

 

They showered, one by one, and then they went downstairs, hand in hand.

 

“Morning, girls,” Eliza said, emerging from the kitchen with cups of coffee in her hand. She gave one to each of them, directing them to go and sit at the table.

 

They obeyed, sitting down at the table, linking their hands together. Alex and Maggie arrived just then, and they both broke out in huge grins when they saw Kara and Lena’s hands, joined across the table. They said nothing, however, something for which Kara was grateful. It was so new between them that Kara wasn’t ready to talk about it to other people.

 

They ate their usual huge breakfast – well, Lena ate a little of it – and then sat in the living room with yet another huge cup of coffee. They sipped at it, finding another Christmas movie – Kara had secretly recorded all of them on Eliza’s DVR and was working through them steadily – and they dozed a little, watching puppies save Christmas. Having Lena in her arms was a whole different proposition now that she had realised what her feelings actually were. Every brush of skin against skin was heated, and she was blushing before long, Lena’s breath against her neck making her think some _very_ inappropriate things.

 

“You okay there, Little Danvers?” Maggie asked, whispering. “You look a little flushed.”

 

“Yeah,” Kara said. “I’m a little overheated.”

 

“You and I both know you don’t get overheated, Kara Zor-El Danvers,” Alex interjected. Kara winced. When Alex broke out all of her names, she knew she was in trouble.

 

“I’m fine, really,” Kara said, trying to make it look as if she was focused on the movie.

 

“She’s horny,” Lena said, her face buried in Kara’s neck. “She’s a little embarrassed about it. Can we move on?”

 

Kara blushed even harder, and Alex and Maggie made little effort to disguise their snickering. Kara sighed, and Lena snuggled into her a little more, one of her hands slipping underneath Kara’s shirt and settling against her ribs. Kara felt her face flame harder, but she settled, running a hand through Lena’s hair idly as she watched the stupid, sappy movie with a huge smile on her face.

 

When Lena woke up from her movie nap, they went for a walk on the beach, just the two of them. They said little, just walked with their hands in each other’s back pockets. Kara was still blushing at every touch, because it was making her feel so _much_ , but she tried to roll with it, accepting the feeling for what it was. It would take a while for her to get used to feeling so incredibly aroused, she knew. She just had to deal with it.

 

As they reached a stony outcropping where she knew Lena had been creeping off to have her secret cigarettes when she was stressed, Kara’s earpiece crackled.

  
“Supergirl, we need you,” Vasquez said over the comm. “Lillian Luthor has been spotted at LCorp.”

 

Kara swore in _Kryptahniuo_ , cursing Lillian Luthor and her sick obsession. “Are Metallo and Hank Henshaw still in custody?” she asked, already spinning into her costume and lifting Lena into her arms, super-speeding them back to the house, holding Lena’s delicate neck as she did so.

 

“Yes. They’re still in their cells,” Vasquez’s calm voice assured her.

 

“Make sure you guys double the guard on them. I don’t like the look of this,” Kara said.

 

“Yes Ma’am,” Vasquez agreed.

 

Kara looked at Lena, who was looking back at her, frightened.

 

“What is Lillian up to now?” she asked, her jaw tight.

 

“She’s at LCorp. Rao only knows what she wants,” Kara said, disgusted.

 

“Do you want me to come? Maybe she’ll listen to me…” Lena said, trailing off when she saw Kara’s face harden. “Okay, maybe not.”

 

“If she gets her hands on you, she could do anything. I won’t let her hurt you, not again.”

 

“You better not let her hurt you, either, Kara Zor-El, or else I will be coming for both of you,” Lena said, her voice chilly and terrifying.

 

“Okay,” Kara said, a little taken aback. “I have to go, Lee. Stay safe, please. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

 

“Nothing is going to happen to me in Midvale. And if anything does, your mom will tear them apart.”

 

“That’s true,” Kara said, with a small smile. “I’m gonna grab Alex and go. I love you, Lena.”

 

“I love you too,” Lena said, pulling Kara’s head down so she could kiss her, thoroughly. Kara’s head was spinning by the time she pulled away. “Come back to me, and tonight you can drink that stupid alien stuff and we can move on, together.”

 

“I promise,” Kara said, and then she had to go, because if she didn’t move, she wasn’t going to be able to leave Lena at all. She shot into the house, briefly explaining things to Maggie, Alex and Eliza, and then she scooped Alex up and they flew to National City at high speed.

 

Alex was used to flying with Kara, and she kept her head down and let Kara go as fast as she dared with a passenger. They arrived first at the DEO.

 

“Supergirl, Agent Danvers. Mrs Luthor appears to be trying to break into LCorp’s R&D department. Do you have any idea why?” J’onn asked, his voice deep and concerned.

 

“Yes,” Kara said, her heart sinking. “Lena’s been working on Kryptonite shielding. She has a small amount to work on. I got it from Kal-El myself.”

 

“Kara, you should have told us,” Alex said, shaking her head. “You put yourself and Lena and her staff at risk. We should at least have posted a detail at LCorp.”

 

“I didn’t want you to worry.”

 

“Well now we have Lillian Luthor trying to get her hands on Kryptonite.”

 

“That… it doesn’t make sense,” Kara said, thinking. “She had enough of her synthetic Kryptonite to make a new Metallo. Why does she need a tiny bit that’s at LCorp now?”

 

“Maybe it’s something else,” J’onn suggested.

 

Kara fished her phone from her boot, calling Lena. The phone rang once, and then twice, and then…

 

“Supergirl. So nice to hear from you. And so lovely of you to invite my daughter into your home for Christmas.”

 

It was Lillian Luthor’s voice. Kara’s eyes began to heat up. She motioned at her phone and then to Vasquez, who somehow managed to get it on speaker, ringing though the DEO command centre.

 

“What do you want, Lillian?” Kara asked.

 

“Nothing, dear Supergirl. Just to pay my daughter a little visit before the New Year. It was lovely to meet your mother too; such a sweet woman. Far too young to die, of course, but that’s the price one must pay for consorting with your kind.”

 

“What do you want, Lillian?” Kara repeated. She could hear Eliza’s heartbeat along with Maggie’s and Lena’s, so she knew that Lillian was bluffing. She grasped Alex’s hand, gesturing at her ear and her heart, and Alex relaxed immediately.

 

“Come back home, Supergirl, and we’ll talk,” Lillian said, hanging up immediately.

 

“Kara, you can’t go,” Alex said immediately. “That’s what she wants.”

 

“I’m going, Alex. Of course I am. It’s Lena. But I think I’m going to stop at LCorp first. Can you send in some agents?”

 

“Of course,” J’onn said, nodding at Vasquez, who disappeared, presumably to make the arrangements.  

 

“Are you coming?” Kara asked Alex.

 

“Of course,” Alex said.

 

“I’m coming too,” J’onn said, transforming into his Martian self.

 

They made their way to Luthor Corp, quickly finding a metahuman shape-shifter in the shape of Lillian Luthor. He immediately turned into his real self, a skinny redheaded dude.

 

“She told me she’d kill my sister if I didn’t do it!” he protested, as J’onn led him outside to a DEO truck. Kara made her way quickly to the research labs, scanning her retina and putting her hand on the palm reader before the door opened for her. She quickly found the not-quite-finished anti-Kryptonite shield, attaching it to the inside of her belt. No point in advertising that she might be immune to it.

 

“Are you sure that’s going to work?” Alex asked, eyes wide.

 

“No,” Kara admitted. “But that’s why I have you and J’onn for backup. If it comes down to it, Alex, take Lillian out. No mercy, no consideration. She can’t be allowed to hurt Lena anymore. And if it all goes South, you have to tell Lena for me, okay? Tell her that I…”

“Shut up, Kara. Firstly, she knows, and secondly, you’re going to tell her yourself, later,” Alex said.

 

“But if I don’t…”

 

“I’ll tell her, Kara. But if you die tonight, I’ll kill you.”

 

Kara rolled her eyes, and picked Alex up, rushing them to the door, where J’onn was watching the DEO agents put the metahuman into the truck.

 

“Ready?” Kara asked.

 

“Let’s go,” J’onn said, transforming once again. They shot into the night, breaking the sound barrier and landing outside Eliza’s house in a matter of minutes.

 

“I’m here, Lillian,” Kara called out, gesturing for Alex to go and hide. Alex did so, pulling an impressive-looking sniper rifle from her back and going to find a good vantage point. J’onn went to the back of the house, and Kara approached the front door, hands up to show she meant no harm. She could hear all four heartbeats in the house, so she knew that Lillian was alone inside, at least. She couldn’t tell DEO heartbeats from Cadmus, unfortunately, so scanning the immediate area wouldn’t help. She opened the door, pushing it inwards, her hands up.

 

“Come into the living room, dear,” Lillian said, sweetly.

 

Kara left the door open behind her, hoping that it would buy the DEO a few extra seconds if they needed it. She walked into the living room, seeing an unconscious Maggie, a furious Eliza tied up and gagged, and Lena, with a green necklace around her neck. Kryptonite. It didn’t immediately weaken Kara, but she played along as if it did. The shield was holding, so far.

 

“I understand, Supergirl, that you and my daughter have come to something of an understanding,” Lillian said, emerging from behind the door that Kara had just stepped through. She closed the door, gesticulating at Kara with a gun in her hand.

 

“And exactly what does that have to do with you, Mrs Luthor?” Kara asked, turning, her hands on her hips.

 

“I think you’ll find it has everything to do with me,” Lillian said, her eyes narrowing. “You see, I have allowed Lena leeway in how she lives her life; the less radical direction of LuthorCorp allows me to operate a lot more easily, siphoning off funds quietly because organisations like yours aren’t watching as closely. But this is just… beyond what I can allow. Consorting with aliens? It’s disgusting. Bad enough that she likes women, but aliens?”

 

“But she’s so much better in bed than everyone else I’ve slept with,” Lena said, taunting. “And you’re not invited to the wedding, mother, so you needn’t worry about it.”

 

“Hold your filthy tongue, Lena. There will be plenty of time to fix your sickness,” Lillian spat. She lifted up the gun as if to hit Lena with it, and Kara caught it with one hand.

 

Lillian pulled the gun back, and Kara played along, again, staggering back a little.

 

“You never learn, do you, Supergirl? One weakness, and you toddle into it every single time like an idiot.”

 

“I’m not an idiot, Lillian. I simply choose to take the risk to save others. You might want to look into that thing that some people do. It’s called ‘caring’,” Kara said dryly.

 

“It’s a shame that it’s going to be the end of you,” Lillian said, smiling. “Now, kiss your fiancée goodbye, Kara dear. You wouldn’t want to leave her without one last kiss, would you?”

 

“Fine,” Kara said, setting her jaw and walking towards Lena as if it pained her.

 

“Kara, don’t” Lena said, trying to stand up and push her back.

 

Lillian turned, raising her gun threateningly, and Lena subsided.

 

“It’s okay,” Kara said, her voice coming out strangled. In truth, the kryptonite was beginning to affect her, but only a little. Just a little dizziness. She was fairly confident that she was still bulletproof and still had her powers. It was more like a ghost of Kryptonite, through the shield.

 

She reached Lena and went to her knees, breathing hard. Lena let out a small noise of anguish. Kara cupped Lena’s face between her two palms, hissing as if she was being burned. She leaned up, kissing Lena fiercely, as if it was their last kiss. It still could be, Kara knew. She wasn’t taking anything for granted.

 

She looked Lena in the eye, letting one fall closed in a wink, slowly, out of Lillian’s eyeshot. She stood again, staggering, and turned to look at Lillian.

 

“Are you happy now, Lillian? You brought me to my knees. I should have known, when I realised it was a metahuman at LCorp and not you,” Kara said, trying to sound weary.

 

“You should have known,” Lillian said smugly. “But you never do, you Supers. So arrogant. Power isn’t everything, you know.”

 

“It isn’t,” Kara agreed. “Personally, I think love is the most powerful thing. And I love your daughter, and one day I hope to marry her.”

 

Lena’s eyes widened, and she was clearly searching Kara’s uniform for the blue stone she had been working on to block the radiation from Kryptonite. Kara touched her waistband, doubling over for a moment, acting as if the kryptonite was overcoming her. She heard Lena stifle a giggle.

 

“I’m tired of you Kryptonians and your trite sayings,” Lillian said, sneering. “Clearly my next job will be Superman. But for now, Supergirl, goodbye,” she said, raising the gun to Kara’s eye-level. Kara could clearly see the green of the bullet glinting inside of the revolver. She had a 50/50 chance of surviving it, she knew, but she stood her ground anyway. She would die for Lena or Eliza or Maggie any day of the week. Lillian pulled the trigger, and then stared as the bullet bounced off Kara’s skull, embedding itself in the wall. Kara snatched the gun from Lillian’s hand, not caring very much when the woman let out an astonished cry of pain.

 

“You know how you were talking about how stupid I am, Mrs Luthor? I was thinking… I might let my heart lead me, but at least I don’t rely on the same old plan, over and over again. My aunt’s scientists developed a shield against Kryptonite, and I gave Lena the notes, along with one of my colleague’s earlier inventions. Putting both of them together, she came up with something that shields me from Kryptonite. I’m telling you this because I’d like you to have something to think about in prison. I’m going to keep a close eye on you this time, because I don’t want to have to come looking for you again. We would send you an invitation to our wedding, but I don’t think Lena and I really want you there, do we sweetie?” Kara turned, holding her hand out to Lena, who stood at her side proudly.

 

“I think we’re much better off without her, darling,” Lena said. “Are you going to get rid of her, or should I?”

 

Kara pretended to think.

 

“Let me, honey. Take this as my promise that I’ll take out the trash from now until death do us part,” Kara said. She leaned down to kiss Lena before turning, grasping the collar of Lillian’s impeccable shirt, dragging her out of the house on her tiptoes.

 

Outside, J’onn was just finishing with a Cadmus agent, pummelling the unfortunate man into the ground. Alex was loading prisoners into a nearby truck, with several burly men standing guard.

 

“Hey, did no-one think to come and give me a hand?” Kara demanded, hands on her hips.

 

“You had it covered, Supergirl,” J’onn said, turning his head to grin at her.

 

“Mom is fine but Maggie’s unconscious,” Kara said, raising her voice slightly to reach Alex.

 

“I know. There’s a crew in there collecting her now. Dr Hamilton is with her. We’re taking her and Mom back to the DEO to check them over,” Alex said.

 

“What about Lena?”

 

“She can stay here with you. Lillian didn’t touch her.”

 

“Good, because if she did, they’ll only find a stain on the wall,” Kara growled.

 

Lillian looked away, as if bored, but Kara heard her heart tick up, and her blood pressure increase. Let her be scared. If she ever hurt Lena again, Kara was going to kill her. And they’d never find the body, because Kara would dissolve every molecule of DNA with her heat vision.

 

“I’m just letting you know, Mrs Luthor, that I take family very seriously. If someone hurt one of the people that I love, then they might find that it makes me lose the control I have fought so very hard for during my time on earth. They might find that me losing control means that I will seek out those who hurt the people I loved. And I can literally dissolve a person with my heat vision; did you know that? So if you are fond of your life at all, Lillian Luthor, you will keep away from Lena unless it’s to send her a letter or a card apologising for your treatment of her so far. And if you so much as harm a hair on Alex’s head, or Eliza’s, or Maggie’s… I won’t be held responsible for my actions. Do you understand?” Kara asked, her voice a low, threatening growl.

 

Lillian nodded, swallowing hard.

 

“Good. Matthews, can you take care of Mrs Luthor? There’s a special cell set aside for her, as I recall,” Kara said, her voice low and menacing.

 

Lillian looked at her fearfully as Agent Matthews led her to the truck. She watched Kara until she couldn’t see her anymore.

 

Kara rushed inside, finding Lena stretched out on her back on the couch, eyes closed. Maggie was gone, Eliza with her.

 

“Are you okay?” Kara asked, perching on the edge of the couch gingerly.

 

Lena opened her eyes, blinking.

 

“I should be asking you that.”

 

“I’m completely fine, thanks to you,” Kara said. She pulled out the blue stone from under her waistband, looking at it in wonder. “It works.”

 

“Did you feel anything at all?” Lena asked, sitting up.

  
“I think that I could feel that there was Kryptonite here. But it was like a distant buzzing. I could feel that my powers were still there, and my strength. I wasn’t sure about my skin, but I thought I had a pretty good chance of being okay,” Kara said. “And Alex was right outside.”

 

“Well, that makes it all right,” Lena said, running her hand through her hair, clearly frustrated. “So you just thought you’d let her shoot you?”

 

“It seemed like the easiest way to make sure she didn’t have something else planned,” Kara said, shrugging.

 

“You promised me you’d look after yourself,” Lena said, accusingly.

 

“I did. But I never promised not to look after you, first.”

 

“That’s not fair, Kara. You know that I meant you to look after your own well-being, first. You can’t keep me safe if you’re dead.”

 

“I knew I was going to be okay,” Kara protested. “I promise you, I wouldn’t risk three human lives if I wasn’t mostly sure about that. And the whole place was surrounded. J’onn’s outside, and half the DEO.”

 

“You better not be lying to me,” Lena said, her eyes flashing.

 

“I’m not,” Kara said. “I was like, 65% sure. I knew you’d be safe even if the shield didn’t work.”

 

“It’s not me I was worried about, Kara. I want you to stay alive. You… you’re everything to me,” Lena said, gazing at Kara with her heart in her eyes.

 

“I wouldn’t leave you, Lee. Not unless I didn’t have any choice,” Kara said. “I swear.”

 

Lena nodded impatiently, then leaned up to kiss Kara. The kiss was filthy, demanding, and hot. Kara melted into Lena, her heart thumping so hard she felt a little faint. Lena was clearly pissed at her, but she was also being really, really sexy.

 

“Kara?”

 

It was Alex’s voice.

 

“Hey,” Kara said, pulling away from Lena, blushing. She turned to face her sister, who was smirking at her.

 

“Hey. I just wanted to let you know we’ve checked the area and there are no more Cadmus agents. So you’re safe. We’re leaving a detail outside to keep an eye on the house, but otherwise, it’s all yours,” Alex said.

 

“Okay,” Kara said, nodding. “I guess… Happy New Year, then?”

 

“Yeah,” Alex said, coming over to hug Kara tightly. “And to you two. I’m sure it’ll go off with a… bang.”

 

Apparently Alex’s stoicism deserted her at that point, because Kara watched her usually taciturn sister start to giggle so much that she had to stagger out of the room. Lena was staring at her in complete bemusement, and Kara’s own eyes were wide.

 

“Did that really just happen?” Kara asked.

 

“It did,” Lena confirmed. “Do you think she’s been drinking?”

 

“She hasn’t; she was sober when we went to LCorp earlier,” Kara said, frowning.

 

“Never mind,” Lena said, her voice sharp and commanding. “Go and get that Memory Thief, Kara. Be careful with it, and start drinking. I swear, if you break that fucking bottle, I will murder you.”

 

Kara nodded, still confused, but she responded to Lena’s tone. Rao, the woman was sexy when she took charge. Kara stared at her as she backed out of the room, heading for the kitchen.

 

As usual, Eliza had prepared a huge meal for them, and there were two covered plates waiting in the oven. Kara wondered idly how her foster mother had known to get food ready for just the two of them.

 

Kara hummed a little, smiling at the food. Eliza knew how much food she needed after she’d been flying. She grabbed the heaping plates of food, carrying them to the kitchen table, and then she grabbed a bottle of something sparkling from the fridge and the bottle of Memory Thief that had arrived the morning before. She leaned on the doorjamb of the living room, taking in the sight of Lena lying there, eyes closed, looking peaceful and beautiful.

 

“You want to come in for some food? I promise I’ll drink plenty of the Memory Thief,” Kara said, imploring. She was really hungry after all that flying.

 

Lena turned her head, her eyes glinting like crystal in the low light of the living room.

 

“Sure,” she said, her voice husky. “But don’t blame me if we skip straight to dessert.”

 

Kara felt sure that the world rocked, in that moment, and she drew in a sharp breath.

 

“Let’s make it a Happy New Year,” she managed, after a moment. Lena stood, staring at her like a predator surveying her prey. Unhurried, intentional. Kara felt like her stomach was flipping over as Lena stalked towards her.

 

“You look amazing,” Kara breathed.

 

“So do you,” Lena said, flicking a finger at the hem of Kara’s skirt. “I’ve always wondered what you wear underneath this,” she said, biting her lip.

 

“Then I guess you’ll have to wait and find out,” Kara said, one eyebrow up. She felt her face heat up, but she managed to maintain the expression.

 

Lena moved past her, letting her fingers linger at the hem of Kara’s skirt, brushing her fingers across Kara’s thighs. Kara shivered. It took her a moment, but she followed Lena, taking deep breaths. This was going to be some night, she could tell.

 

They ate dinner in almost-complete silence. Lena glanced at her every now and then, through lowered eyelashes, and her gaze was filled with a mix of lust and anger.

 

“You know I was just trying to protect you,” Kara said, drinking her first shot of the Memory Thief. She had no idea how she had managed to stomach this the first time around. It tasted like minced Snorlack tentacles. She’d never tried squid on Earth, despite Eliza’s assertion that it was delicious, because Snorlack tasted so awful.

 

“Remembering anything yet?” Lena asked, watching her carefully.

 

“Not yet,” Kara said. “And you didn’t answer me.”

 

“I know that you were trying to protect me,” Lena said, sighing. “But it doesn’t matter. If I don’t have you, Kara, I don’t have anything. My family are… well, one of them just shot you in the head. And the other killed your cousin, albeit temporarily. I love your family, I really do, but without you, we don’t have anything in common. I can’t lose you, Kara. I don’t think you really appreciate what you mean to me. What you’ve done for me.”

 

“I haven’t done anything,” Kara said, in a soft voice. She took Lena’s hand. “All I did was make a friend. Someone who I grew to care about, and then love. And she has done more for me than I ever realised. She helped me get past my guilt at sending Mon-El away, and what happened with the Daxamites. And to complete shock, I realised that I was in love with her. She has changed my life just as much as I have apparently changed hers.” She kissed Lena’s hand softly.

 

Lena’s eyes filled with tears.

 

“I love you too, Kara. You’re the best thing in my life.”

 

“And you’re the best in mine,” Kara said. She poured another shot of the evil drink, grimacing as she downed it. Lena watched her closely as she drank it down.

 

“Anything?” she asked.

 

“Not yet,” Kara said.

 

“Maybe we should try to jog your memory,” Lena suggested softly.

 

“How?” Kara asked.

 

“Dance with me?” Lena asked, standing and offering her hand to Kara. Kara stood, her eyes wide. Lena switched on the ancient stereo in the kitchen, where, inexplicably, a Christmas song was playing. It was ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas.’

 

They slow-danced around the kitchen, wrapped up in Kara’s cape. Kara kissed the top of Lena’s head, inhaling her scent.

 

“You remember it all, huh?” Kara asked, as Lena nuzzled into her shoulder.

 

“I do,” Lena said.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me what happened?” Kara asked. There was no judgement in her voice; only curiosity.

 

“I… I was worried. Worried that you would… worried that you would leave, would never want to see me again.”

 

“You’re crazy if you think I would ever leave you,” Kara said.

 

“You don’t know what happened,” Lena said.

 

“Did you murder Clark in front of me?” Kara asked. “Cackle that I was a fool to have ever trusted you while killing a puppy? Did you kill the last remaining person who lived on Krypton with me? Because Alex did that and I forgave her. Unless you did something horrible to me or someone I love, Lena, and don’t regret it, then you’re safe. We’re here, together, and I love you.”

 

Lena sobbed, once, into Kara’s shoulder, and then leaned up to kiss Kara. It was a hard, fervent kiss, and as Kara opened her mouth to Lena’s tongue, she started to have flashes of doing… exactly this, at the alien bar.

 

“I’m remembering!” Kara yelled. She let Lena go and ran to the table, pouring another measure of the Memory Thief, downing it in one, and then another.

 

“Slow down, Kara. I don’t want you to forget this night, too,” Lena said, frowning.

 

“If I do, I’ll drink this stuff until I’m blue in the face,” Kara said, determined.

 

“Shut up and dance with me, you idiot,” Lena said, rolling her eyes.

 

Kara smiled, her head starting to get a little fuzzy. The drink was starting to take effect.

 

Lena pulled her down for another kiss, sizzling, hot and thoroughly sexy. Kara’s heart sped up, her breathing starting to come in gasps.

 

“What are you doing to me?” she asked, dazed, as she looked down at Lena.

 

“I hope that it’s nothing you don’t like,” Lena said, eyes downcast.

 

“It’s everything I want,” Kara gasped out, leaning down to claim Lena’s lips again. Lena backed her into a handy wall, and Kara started to have flashbacks of Lena, pushing her against a wall just like this, straddling her lap in a booth in the alien bar. Grinding down on her. The memory made her gasp and tremble.

 

“Did you remember something?” Lena asked, eyes wide.

 

“I did,” Kara said. “We were in the alien bar, and you pushed me against a wall in the corner. And then you were straddling me, and you were…” Kara trailed off, her face red.

 

“I was what?” Lena asked, her voice low and dangerous. “Grinding on you?”

 

Kara nodded, eyes wide.

 

“Do you want to see me do it again?” she asked, biting her lip in that way that made Kara crazy before she even knew why she felt that way.

 

“Yes,” Kara breathed. Lena led her back to her chair at the kitchen table, then straddled her. Kara was still in her suit, and the whole thing felt surreal. Lena leaned down a little to kiss Kara, and started a slow, steady rhythm with her hips. She was… she was grinding her… she was grinding on Kara’s lap, and she was making noises, little whimpers, and her eyes were closed, and it was driving Kara crazy.

 

“Lena,” she said, her voice coming out as a plea.

 

“Yes, darling?” Lena asked.

 

“Did we… did we have sex, that night?” Kara asked, her eyes wide.

 

“I suppose it depends what you think of as sex,” Lena said, smirking. “Some people would say it’s only sex if one of you has a penis.”

 

“Well, that’s not what I think,” Kara said, gasping a little as Lena rode her thigh a little harder.

 

“It isn’t?” Lena asked innocently. “Well, then. You had your fingers and your tongue inside me at various points that night. Does that count?”

 

“I think so,” Kara said, her voice coming out high and strangled. “Did… did you do those things to me, too?”

 

“I did,” Lena confirmed, pulling Kara into a filthy, deep kiss. “I did them all, over and over again until the neighbours complained, darling. But you know who didn’t complain?”

 

“Who?” Kara asked, in a squeak.

 

“You,” Lena whispered, licking at Kara’s earlobe.

 

“You are a very, very bad person, Lena Luthor. I can’t help but think that you dragged me down a path of depravity and lewd behaviour. In public, no less,” Kara said, growling suddenly.

 

“No-one could see us,” Lena said. “I promise.”

 

“Good,” Kara said. “No-one is going to see us now, either.”

 

She whisked Lena upstairs and into her (their) bed. As soon as she saw Lena spread out before her, she remembered the night in its entirety. All of it. Lust and need coursed through her, and she removed her suit at superspeed, standing there in her plain black underwear, gazing at Lena with hooded eyes.

 

“You remembered,” Lena said, leaning up on her elbows. “You remembered it, didn’t you?”

 

Kara nodded her head, slowly. She kneeled on the bed, then started to crawl forward. Her eyes were intent on Lena, who was staring at her with her lip caught between her teeth. Kara crawled up to her, straddling her.

 

“Why did you sleep with me that night?” Kara asked, settling on Lena’s hips.

 

“Because I wanted to, more than anything,” Lena said, eyes clear and honest.

 

“You were drunk.”

 

“So were you,” Lena pointed out.

 

“Did you feel like I forced you?” Kara asked.

 

“No,” Lena breathed. “It was all I had ever wanted.”

 

“Is it what you want now?” Kara asked, eyes intent on Lena’s.

 

“Yes,” Lena breathed.

 

“Good,” Kara said, in a growl. “Take off your clothes.”

 

Lena held Kara’s eyes, her gaze intense. Kara moved back, letting Lena move. She pulled her top off, showing off a red bra, and then she shucked her tight jeans. Her underwear matched her bra, and it made Kara bite at her own lip.

 

“Do you want to do the rest?” Lena asked, her voice deep and husky again.

 

“Yes,” Kara said, crawling up Lena’s body once again. She brought her mouth down on Lena’s, and Lena kissed back eagerly, sweet and a little dirty. She bit at Kara’s lips, and Kara let her hands roam, pulling Lena’s bra off first, her fingers making quick work of the fastenings. She let her hands move from Lena’s back to her front, and relished the moan she got in response. Her hands slipped downward a few minutes later, as their kisses deepened, and Lena sucked on Kara’s tongue.

 

“I love you,” Kara said, as she started to move her whole body down the bed, slowly, but with intent.

 

“I love you too,” Lena said, gasping as Kara bit at her abdomen on her way downwards. “Did you mean what you said to my mother? Or were you just trying to piss her off?”

 

Kara let her tongue answer for her, dipping it down and inside of Lena quickly, constantly in motion. Lena’s back arched, and she started saying nonsense words, her eyes tightly shut. Kara lifted Lena’s legs up and over her shoulders, diving in further, and it was only a short time later when Lena came, her cries almost deafening Kara. Kara climbed up Lena’s body, wrapping her up in her arms, running her fingertips up and down Lena’s back and upper arms and pulling the comforter over them both.

 

When Lena could speak again, she stared at Kara, eyes wide.

 

“That was amazing,” Lena said. “You were just… amazing.”

 

“I meant what I said to Lillian,” Kara said, kissing Lena’s forehead. “I would marry you in a heartbeat.”

 

Lena stared at her, and then lunged forward, kissing Kara deeply. She pulled Kara to her, touching her everywhere at once, it seemed, and Kara barely held back her heat vision as she came harder than she could ever remember coming before. She saw stars, her head thrown back as Lena sucked at her neck.

 

“I love you,” they both murmured, wrapped together in a sweaty, tangled mess. They slept for a while, and woke a little later, starting all over again. By the time morning came, they were both exhausted, and slept deeply, long into the day.

 

***

 

“Kara? Lena? Mom’s making lunch,” Alex’s voice came through the door of their bedroom, waking Lena with a start.

 

Kara woke, too, her eyes immediately softening as she saw Lena’s face so close to hers.

 

“I love you,” were the first words she said, her eyes wide with wonder.

 

“I love you,” Lena replied.

 

“I can’t believe I forgot what happened,” Kara said, shaking her head.

 

“Aliens and their magic,” Lena said, shrugging. “God knows we’ve come across weirder things. What about that guy who was watching you from the fifth dimension and wanted to marry you?”

 

“Yeah, he was pretty weird,” Kara said. “For someone who supposedly watched me so closely, he managed to spectacularly misunderstand my character.”

 

“Yeah,” Lena agreed, tracing one finger down Kara’s jaw. “I’m going to take a wild guess here, sweetie, and say you’re hungry.”

 

Kara started to blush. She _was_ hungry. Between the escapades with Lillian Luthor and Cadmus and spending most of the night having incredible, mind-blowing sex with Lena, she was ravenous.

 

“After everything we did all night, now you’re blushing?” Lena asked, her voice husky.

 

Kara’s blush deepened.

 

“I love you, you Kryptonian fool,” Lena said, smiling. “Now, shall we go eat before you die?”

 

Kara nodded mutely. Lena smiled fondly, shaking her head, and sat up, letting the comforter fall to her waist. She was nude underneath, and Kara stared.

 

“A few hours of sleep and you’ve forgotten what I look like already?” Lena asked, tying her hair up in a loose ponytail and turning to look at Kara, who was staring.

 

“You’re just… I can’t believe I get to see you like this,” Kara said, eyes wide with wonder.

 

“You can touch, too,” Lena said, brazen. “I don’t mind. I welcome it, in fact.”

 

Kara let out a noise resembling a growl, barely recognising her own voice, and she pulled Lena into her lap, not giving her time to breathe before she was claiming Lena’s mouth and then moving her hand downward and between Lena’s legs. It took little time for Lena to come, biting into Kara’s shoulder to stop herself from screaming, because Eliza and Maggie and Alex were downstairs. She returned the favour, going down on Kara and relishing every muffled groan and scream, before they both had to go and shower quickly and head downstairs, because the rumbling from Kara’s stomach was getting ridiculous.

 

Lunch was a silly affair. Maggie, despite the pronounced bruise on her brow, was in great spirits, and she kept muttering the most incredibly filthy things under her breath, knowing that Kara would hear them. Lena kept throwing strange looks at Kara, who was choking up every few seconds, blushing so hard that she feared she’d burst a blood vessel. Eliza was throwing sly looks at both of them, but at Lena in particular, and Alex was just flat-out giggling the whole way through the meal.

 

“Do you guys just want to get it all off your chest?” Lena asked, eventually. “Kara and I are together, now, and you all know, and Alex, Eliza already knew that we weren’t a couple, okay? So according to Kara, the potsticker and pizza bet still stands.”

 

Maggie, Alex and Eliza shared a series of long looks, before busting out a number of lewd remarks, suggestions, and jokes that had Kara blushing furiously and Lena laughing, her cheeks burning.

 

“You three certainly have a wide repertoire of jokes,” Lena remarked, after half an hour or so had passed.

 

“I’ve been in lesbian school since I was 14 years old, Luthor,” Maggie said, lifting her hands for high-fives from her co-conspirators. Alex and Eliza returned them, smiling widely.

 

“Are you done now?” Kara asked, lifting her head up from where she’d been hiding it under her napkin.

 

“For now,” Maggie said, eyes twinkling.

 

Kara groaned. Her Kryptonian sensibilities were not set up for those sorts of jokes. Sex and love were not to be spoken of in public. Perhaps they were a little… stuffy, by Earth standards, but Kara preferred things that way. Love between people should stay private. Rao, the amount of times she had walked in on Alex and Maggie, doing things that just… ew. She buried her face in her hands again.

 

They finally exhausted the remainder of their Christmas movies that day, clearing a nice section of the DVR, which Eliza was pleased about.

 

“Kara’s been coming down here and saving them all year, at the most random times,” Eliza said, sotto voce, to Lena. “She drives me crazy. When she first heard about Christmas, we had to decorate the place until it looked like Santa had thrown up everywhere.”

 

“I can hear you, Eliza,” Kara said, acerbically. It was hard to be too upset, however, because Lena was leaning back against her and she turned a little to smile at Kara, kissing her jaw before turning back to Eliza. Kara’s heart softened immediately, and she was unable to even summon a glare in response to her foster mother’s teasing.

 

The holidays were coming to a close, and much as Kara was loath to go back to National City, she knew life had to go on. They took another walk before dinner, all of them, and Kara sighed as she looked out at the familiar view of the sea. It had been a constant when she was a child, still getting used to everything. It was the one thing out of so many that didn’t change, didn’t confuse her. It just moved with the waxing and the waning of the moon, and if she couldn’t concentrate on a heartbeat or something else, she could use the sea to drown out the constant influx of sound around her.

 

“Are you okay, darling?” Lena asked, swinging their entwined hands a little to get Kara’s attention.

 

“I’m fine,” Kara said. “I just… I know we have to go back.”

 

“Yeah,” Lena said, wistfully. “There’s something about this place,” she said, staring out at the sea. “I’m so happy you brought me here.”

 

“Not as happy as I am,” Kara said, grinning.

 

“We can argue about who is the happiest later,” Lena said, rolling her eyes. “But you know, we’re… we’re together now. I, for one, have no intention of letting you out of my sight when we get back to National City, Kara Zor-El Danvers.”

 

“Good,” Kara said. “Or good, within reason, I guess. Because even superheroes poop.”

 

Lena wrinkled her face up in disgust.

 

“Ew. Super-poop. I did not need to think about that.”

 

Kara snickered.

 

“I just… this place helped us both realise how we felt,” Kara said. “I feel like it’s special, this thing with us, and I’m not ready to bring it to our real life, yet. I want to stay here, to make it last.”

 

“I know,” Lena said, smiling. “But vacations only last so long, even if you are a CEO or a superhero.”

 

“I know,” Kara agreed. “I know that. But I don’t want it to be over.”

 

“It’s not over, Kara,” Lena said, pulling her to a stop. “We’re not over. If I have my way, we’re never going to be over. Is that what it is, darling? Do you think I’m going to decide not to love you all of a sudden because we’re in National City? Do you think my love for you is dependent on location?”

 

Kara dropped her head, suddenly feeling stupid.

 

“No,” she muttered.

 

Lena chuckled, pulling Kara into her arms.

 

“I love you here, or anywhere on this planet or any other, Kara. You’re everything I could ever want, Kara. I’ve been in love with you pretty much since I met you. I can’t wait to spend my real life with you. I know we haven’t talked about it, but I’d love us to move in as soon as you’re ready, because I want to come home to you at night, Kara. I want to have breakfast in bed on weekends and do crosswords puzzles with you and I want you to wake me in the middle of the night if you have a nightmare or because you want to make love. I want to fight about whose job it is to load the dishwasher and about who made dinner last and about you eating too much takeout, and I want to have makeup sex in the kitchen and on the couch and on the balcony. I want you in my life, Kara, all the time. Every part of it. Going back to National City doesn’t frighten me, because you’re going to be there.”

 

“Rao, I love you,” Kara said, kissing her fervently, ignoring the wolf-whistles from her foster mother, sister and sister-in-law-to-be. She knew that all of their teasing was just for fun and that they couldn’t be happier for her and Lena. Kara lifted Lena off her feet, scooping her up in a bridal carry and kissing her more deeply. “If you didn’t work it out, by the way, I want all of those things too.”

 

“Good,” Lena said, grinning at her and shaking her head at Kara’s grandiose gesture. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Lee,” Kara said. She smiled at her girlfriend, and then at her family, standing by the sea laughing, and it occurred to her that this might be one of the best moments of her life so far. Somehow it made the sting of losing Krypton less, and she was ready, all of a sudden, to go back home to National City and start a new chapter in her life, her first chapter as Lena’s girlfriend. She swung Lena round in circles, laughing as she protested that she was going to be sick (she wasn’t; Kara was monitoring her vital signs as always) and enjoying the sight of her closest earth family all together, all here. She savoured the memory, knowing that the memory of this day would carry her through the harder times of her life that were yet to come. She knew too much about loss to take happiness for granted.

 

They had dinner that night, their last one for that particular holiday, and they all ate and drank far too much, and they parted the following morning with more than a few tears. Kara heard Eliza whisper something to Lena, but she tuned her hearing out to ensure that she didn’t eavesdrop.

 

The drive back was fun, Lena relenting and allowing both Maggie and Alex to take turns driving, but she made it clear that she was only doing it so she could make out with Kara in the backseat, much to Alex’s disgust. They sang along with the radio and stopped at multiple diners and little roadside restaurants on the way, to deal with Kara’s appetite. They dropped Maggie and Alex off with smiles and more tears, and when they reached Kara’s apartment, she asked Lena to wait, ignoring her confusion. She went inside of her apartment to drop off her luggage and grab a change of clothes and a few other essentials, packing a quick bag and heading back to the car.

 

“So, what am I waiting for?” Lena asked, curiously, when Kara appeared with her bag hidden behind her back.

 

Kara held her overnight bag out, showing it to Lena.

 

“I was hoping you wouldn’t mind an overnight guest, Miss Luthor,” she said, biting her lip.

 

“God, no. I don’t mind at all,” Lena said, sounding relieved. Kara got into the car again, and they made out for a few minutes until Lena decided she absolutely had to get Kara into her bed. It took ten minutes or so for them to get across town, and Kara shot them upstairs in a burst of super-speed, and then they were in bed, and it was messy and far too quick and they both laughed way too hard at their ‘first’ time as a couple in National City. But real life wasn’t perfect sex and smooth bodies in the moonlight, it was laughter and messes and laughter at inappropriate times. It was real, and it was perfect just the way it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the end of this little tale, bar a (hopefully quite short) epilogue, which I'll put up as soon as possible. Thank you for joining me on this little adventure in fluff and tropes. :)


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little epilogue, just to wrap things up in a schmaltzy little bow of fluff.

* * *

_(Almost 12 months later)_

 

“Are you glad to be back?” Kara asked, swinging their joined hands as they walked on the beach.

 

“I am. It’s just like I remember it,” Lena said, grinning. Her engagement ring glinted in the sunlight, and Kara smiled.

 

“I can’t wait to tell everyone,” she said, bouncing on her toes in glee.

 

“Me either,” Lena agreed. They carried on walking until Lena was cold, and then Kara (very subtly) flew them back to Eliza’s, where everyone was watching the first of this year’s crop of Christmas movies. Their group was a little expanded from the year before, now including Sam and Ruby, Winn, James, Jess, Eve Tessmacher, and J’onn and M’gann. Clark and Lois were due to join them before Christmas dinner the next day.

 

They took their hot chocolates from Eliza as they came through the door, Lena smiling at her cigarette buddy (something Kara knew about, but pretended she didn’t) and they went to flop on the couch, grinning at Alex and Maggie’s puppy, Gertrude, who kept throwing herself at them and slobbering on their faces. Alex was cradling their sleeping baby, Isabella Astra Sawyer-Danvers, looking more content than Kara had ever seen her sister before. The Sawyer-Danvers wedding had been, truly, the biggest, gayest wedding that National City had ever seen, and Maggie had been incredibly beautiful, glowing with a huge baby bump as the two woman made their vows to each other in front of friends, family, the DEO and the NCPD. Every time she looked at them, Kara had to hold back tears of joy. Her sister was finally happy, finally truly content, and she was surrounded pretty much constantly by an aura of calm joy. It was all Kara had ever wanted for Alex.

 

“Gert, dude. Chill,” Maggie said, handing them some wet wipes and pulling the huge Newfoundland puppy into her lap, where she dwarfed her owner.

 

“It’s really fine,” Lena said, laughing as she washed off the dog slobber. “Honestly, I love dogs.”

 

“We should totally get one!” Kara stage-whispered, and Lena raised an eyebrow.

 

“Maybe,” she allowed. “But let’s get the other life-changing stuff out of the way, first, huh?”

 

Kara nodded, grinning.

 

“Guys, we have an announcement,” she said, smiling round at everyone. “I was going to wait for Clark and Lois, but they’re late so they can suck it. Lena and I are engaged!” She pulled up her sleeve to display the bracelet that Lena had gifted her the Christmas before, beaming.

 

Everyone looked at her, appearing either unimpressed or puzzled.

 

“Hang on,” Eve Tessmacher said, taking her hand from Sam’s – they had fallen in love a few months before, over telephone calls from Sam to Lena at CatCo. “I thought you were already engaged?”

 

“Well, yeah, but that was fake. To fool Eliza,” Kara explained.

 

“But you never took your ring off, Kara,” James said, frowning. “I… I think we all thought you had just decided to go for it.”

 

“I just asked Lena to marry me, like, two weeks ago!” Kara protested.

 

“It’s true,” Lena said, gravely. “She did.”

 

She was obviously trying not to laugh, and Kara shot her a look of anguish at the depth of her betrayal.

 

“Seriously, we just got engaged!” Kara said.

 

“I told you she was totally oblivious,” Jess said, holding one hand out. Everyone groaned, except for Alex and Maggie, who smiled smugly, and Eliza, who was just flat-out giggling. They pulled cash from their pockets, giving Jess a pile of money. “Easiest $500 I ever made.”

 

“Jess, you are lucky I am not the kind of person to fire people for betting on my personal life,” Lena said, with a mock-frown.

 

“You can’t fire me; I’m not your assistant anymore,” Jess shot back, impassive. 

 

“Touché,” Lena said, saluting Jess with her hot chocolate. “Kara, you can sit down now; they’re all done with the teasing, I think.”

 

“Yeah, sit down Kara. Congrats on your engagement, that only you appeared not to know about,” Alex said, waving her hot chocolate in the air in a wild salute.

 

Kara sat down, unhappy about the way her engagement announcement had gone. Lena pulled her close, kissing her cheek.

 

“I told you no-one would be interested. In all fairness, darling, neither of us have taken those rings off since we put them on. It’s a reasonable conclusion to come to, that we’ve been engaged this whole time.”

 

“I guess,” Kara grumbled. “But I still think they should have congratulated us.”

 

“Yeah, well. Family doesn’t have to make a big deal to let you know they care, right?” Lena said, her eyes sparkling. She sipped her hot chocolate, and Kara grinned as she wiped off the whipped cream moustache that Lena was now sporting.

 

The lights went off, suddenly, and Kara blinked as a few points of light entered the room.

 

Everyone started singing, some godawful song about congratulations, but Kara couldn’t help beaming, despite the tone-deaf singing of such a terrible song. This was family; celebrating something that they had all taken for granted with a hastily-thrown together cake which was, if Kara’s nose was right, was two chocolate pecan pies stacked on top of each other and decorated with frosting from a tub. Her eyes filled with tears and everyone in the room shouted as they both blew out the candles, Kara doing so very carefully.

 

“I love you, Kara,” Lena said, leaning up to kiss Kara, and the room erupted in wolf-whistles. The rest of Eliza’s guests hugged them and offered their congratulations one by one. Eliza kissed them both, murmuring something to Lena. Kara asked her a little later what Eliza had said.

 

“She said that she told me I’d be back here this year for our real engagement, and that she couldn’t wait. And she was right,” Lena said, beaming. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur of celebrations and drunkenness and Kara-oke, as she insisted on pronouncing it.

 

When they went to bed that night, they cuddled up together, kissing languidly and slowly, a little drunk and silly.

 

“I love you, future Mrs Zor-El Danvers,” Kara said. Lena beamed.

 

“I love you too,” Lena said. “You great big lump of a Kryptonian.”

 

“There’s no need to be insulting,” Kara said, mock-frowning.

 

“There’s every need, sweetie,” Lena said “I did tell you that they would all be underwhelmed. There’s no one who didn’t think we were engaged. Except for you.”

 

“So wait, you considered us engaged before?” Kara asked, leaning up on one elbow.

 

“Well, neither of us took off the rings, and we’ve been living together since then, unofficially, before we moved in for real. I figured you were thinking in that direction, and I didn’t want to take mine off because honestly, I was ready to marry you the first night we spent together.”

 

“Rao, I love you,” Kara said, eyes wide. “You amaze me.” She leaned forward and kissed Lena again, and this time both women gave in to their need to touch, and a little later they both had to bite on fists or pillows to muffle the obvious noise of what they were doing, knowing that they were still going to get teased the next day. But that was okay, because that’s what family did.

 

As Kara was falling asleep, with Lena’s head tucked into her neck, she murmured something, and Lena asked her to repeat it.

 

“I’m so glad you were my fiancée for Christmas,” she said, smiling.

 

“Me too,” Lena said, drowsily. “Me too.”

 

THE END

 

_Excerpt: letter from Lillian Luthor, to Lena Luthor. (Accompanied by press-cutting reporting Lillian’s escape from custody.)_

_Your fiancée asked me some time ago not to bother you unless it was to write and apologise for the things I’ve done to you. While I’m not exactly doing that, I am writing to congratulate you on your choice of spouse. Loath as I am to admit it, Kara is an impressive example of alien-kind. I was impressed by her help when we rescued you from the Daxamites, and I remain impressed now. Believe it or not, she actually frightened me the last time I saw you, when she threatened to disintegrate me into nothing with her heat vision. It is that sort of determination to protect you that has brought me to this reluctant realisation. It will not surprise you at all to know that I have no intention of giving up my activities, but I promise you this – you and your pet Supers will no longer enter into my plans. Despite their DNA, they appear to be sincere in their desire to defend the Earth from alien invasion, and it would be foolish of me to continue to fight against someone who is working for the same things I am. Perhaps one day we might even fight side-by-side once again. If Supergirl promises not to heat-vision me, at least._

_As I won’t be attending the wedding, I can only send you my best wishes for the future. You are the best of us, whether I like it or not, and I am proud of you, Lena._

_Your mother_

_Lillian._

The (real) end. Honest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all of your who've read this fic and commented or left kudos, thank you. The feedback has been amazing, and I am sorry that I couldn't reply to each and every one, because you're all awesome. Shoutout to Aaa for making me laugh last night with your comments; you needn't give up a tit for this fic, darling. I do it for the love of writing. :) Cheers and I will see you on the next fic, I hope.
> 
> PS As a few of you pointed out, I didn't mention the Sanvers baby in my first draft of the epilogue. My bad. I totally did *not* forget about the pregnancy at all, nor did I forget to have them get married. You forgot, I didn't. (hastily adds the wedding and baby and backs away, whistling)


End file.
